William dames Robson, late principal clerk in the transfer department
of the Crystal Palace Company, was examined yesterday at the Lambeth Po- lice Office. The special charge against him was, that he had disposed of a number of preferential shares, the property of Mr. Robert Robertson, which
i
had been left for safe keeping in the office of the company. Robson, it ap- peared, had been called upon to account for an irregularity in his depart- ment, by Mr. Grove the Secretary. He promised to explain all, if Mr. passe; the registrar, would go home with him to his house at Kilburn Priory. Arrived at the house, Robson disappeared to order luncheon, and never returned. Be left behind him a letter, stating that his property was 30,000/. ; that he had lent shares, but that all would be correct, &c. Rob- son fled to the Continent. He appears to have travelled from place to place, and at length landed at Copenhagen as " Edward Smith. ' The Da- nish Government, suspecting something wrong, communicated with the Police in London ; and Superintendent Lund sent Sergeant Coppin to Copenhagen, to ascertain whether " Smith" and Robson were one. At the Police Coati yesterday, Sergeant Coppin stated, that he took charge of the prisoner on Meade}, last. " On seeing him, I said, Mr. Robson, I am come about this affair from the Crystal Palace Company.' He said, Very well ; I know I have done wrong, and I must suffer the law.' I said, Have you any objection to accompany me to London ?' He said, 'No ; I shall be glad to do so.' I then said, Are you prepared to go back with me ?' and he said, ' Yes, I'll do so.' In reference to his property, I asked him what money he had; and he produced his purse, which contained thirty-five Danish dollars and other smaller coins, a gold watch and chain ; and in his box was a quantity of silver forks and spoons, a diamond ring and studs, with his passport-book and passport, in the name of Edward Smith. The signature to the passport, Edward Smith,' was sworn to as being in the prisoner's handwriting." Coppin added to his testimony, that the sister of the prisoner was with him at Copenhagen, and passed in the name of " Agnes Smith." She returned to London with them. Mr. John Lund, Superin- tendent of the P division of Police, said that he had the matter connected with this case in hand since the prisoner had absented himself; and on his being brought into the station-house that morning by Coppin he sail, "Robson, this is a bad job" - to which he replied—" Yes' it ; I am mise- rably guilty. I will make ail the reparationl can beforeI go. I hope they will not confine me for life in solitary imprisonment. I do not mind being transported, for I deserve it. I carried a ring about me with prussic acid in it for the last three months, and Untended to destroy myself with it, but something came across my mind as though it were from the Almighty ; and the reason I did not do it was for fear of making my poor wife's latter days miserable, and I threw the ring into the sea, He then went on to state about his property, which he should give over to the Crystal Palace Company; and gave the names of several persons who were indebted to hint in large sums of money lent, two of them being for 10001. each.—Robson was remanded.
Previous page
