A strange will robbery, which took place a few months
ago in Monmouthshire, has formed the subject of the most interesting trial of the week. The house of the late Mr. Powell was broken into in May last, manifestly by some one acquainted with the premises, and amongst a curious assort- ment of articles stolen was the will of that gentleman. A total reward of 2001. was offered for the restoration of the property and the conviction of the thief; but nothing was .effected until June 30th, when Mrs. Powell received a polite though strangely couched letter offering the restoration of the property in consideration of 125/., and signed "The Brothers Laverne." After arrangements made by advertise- ment on the part of Mrs. Powell, and by letter on that of the mysterious brothers, the former agreed to walk on a certain night near a certain spot with the money, at the same time "burdening herself with a slight asthmatic cough, to be re- peated every half-dozen steps.' Instead of this, however, Mr. Williams, her nephew, disguised himself as Mrs. Powell, and, cough and all, attended the rendezvous, not with the intention of capturing the man, but ascertaining his genuine Possession of the papers. This was done, and another appoint- ment fixed. This Mr. Williams could not keep ; but on the next occasion, when Mr. Williams attended with the 1251., he found the prisoner, whom he recognized as the person he had met, struggling with a policeman, who had accidentally found him behind a hedge in a strange disguise, and arrested him for explanation. Near the spot where he was taken was found a pocket-book containing the whole of the missing papers. Ho declared himself innocent of the burglary, and described two persons from whom he had received the property. The jury also took this view of the case, but he was sen- tenced to twelve years' penal servitude for receiving. The prisoner seemed much hurt at the supposition that ho had been taken in by Mr. Williams's disguise ; but it is not likely he would have knowingly trusted himself unarmed face to face with a man.
Previous page
