PEACE’S LIFE AT SHEFFIELD――THE ROBBERY AT CROOKES-MOOR HOUSE――TRIAL
AND CONVICTION.
While Tom Gatliffe was bearing up as best he could against the deep
affliction that had fallen on him, and while his wife was being fêted,
flattered, and spoiled, Charles Peace, the burglar, was pursuing his
own erratic course in his native town of Sheffield.
He returned thither with a considerable amount of cash, the produce of
his Denmark-hill burglary.
His mother, at this time, was in a state of poverty, and his sister
was in indigent circumstances.
Peace at once hastened to relieve their immediate necessities, and in
a short time after his return to Sheffield, his funds dwindled down,
so that he very shortly became again hard-up.
He eked out his living in all sorts of odd ways. Now mending a clock,
and then framing a picture in the intervals, no doubt dealing to some
extent with the “fence” of his old comrades in crime.
One night, while playing his violin at a public-house in Sheffield, he
met with a girl with whom he had been acquainted when quite a lad.
She had been at one time an intimate friend of Laura Stanbridge’s, and
her association with that unprincipled female had done much towards
leading her into evil courses.
As Peace was leaving the house with his violin under his arm, he was
accosted by the girl, whose name was Emma James.
“Don’t go away like that, Charlie,” cried she, as our hero was about
to leave the house. “It isn’t often we meet.”
“Well, Emma lass, how goes it with you?” returned Peace, shaking her
by the hand and chucking her under the chin. “What are you doing now?”
“Nothing at all at present; business is bad and it’s a struggle with
most of us――leastways, I know it is with me; but we won’t talk in
front of a public bar.”
The two passed out into the street.
“You’ve been having a fine time of it lately, I hear,” said Emma
James. “You’ve been to London, and all sorts of places, besides――I
suppose you are well up for money.”
“You are greatly mistaken, Emma. I have made a little this time, but
it’s nearly all gone.”
“Well, where do you live――which way are you going?”
“I’m living in the same house as my sister Mary.”
“And where might that be?”
“In Bailey-lane.”
“You know Mary?”
“Of course I do――or rather I did. I have not seen her for so long a
time, not since Laura left the town in such a sudden and mysterious a
manner.”
“Ah, Laura, of course you knew her. You will be surprised to learn
that I met with her in London by the merest chance in the world.”
“And how was she looking?”
“So well, so beautiful, so grandly dressed, that at first I did not
know her.”
“Then she’s cutting a dash in London――a big swell, I s’pose?”
“Yes, doing the trick somehow or other. How I can’t tell, that’s best
known to herself.”
“Some people have the devil’s luck as well as their own. However, she
was always a clever girl, and knew her way about as well as most
persons. But I say, Charlie, is it true that Mrs. Maitland’s daughter,
she whom young Gatliffe married, turned out to be the grand-daughter
of a nobleman?”
“Yes, that’s quite true, Emma. She may thank me for all she’s got; I
found her out and was the first to fire the train. Oh, yes, all this
is true enough. She’s left Tom――so I hear.”
“More shame to her. He was the best of husbands, and doated on the
ground she walked. Everybody knows that.”
“What matters? She’s got into good quarters, is now so far removed
from him, so much above him, that she’s sent him to the right about.
It’s the way of the world, my darling――has always been so, and always
will be, I suppose.”
“Well, you’ve put her into a good thing, and I daresay she is
grateful.”
“Bah!” exclaimed Peace, “don’t be a fool, Emma. Grateful indeed! She
didn’t condescend to even honour me with a passing notice as she
entered Broxbridge Hall.”
“Didn’t she, though?”
“No, not even a nod.”
“The proud, ungrateful upstart.”
“Here’s my little drum,” said Peace, opening the door of the house
with his latch-key. “Come in and see Mary.”
The girl did as she was bid, and the three were in a short time after
this in familiar converse.
A few days after this Emma James became an inmate of the
establishment.
She lived with Peace for a short period, during which he made her
useful in disposing of property the proceeds of his various robberies.
It was not possible for him to remain long without having recourse to
his dishonest practices. To this propensity he joined a great love of
playing the fiddle and a fancy for birds and animals.
He committed several burglaries at Sheffield about this time, and in
most cases he patronised the west end of the town.
His favourite plan was to pick out good substantial-looking houses
with a portico.
Taking advantage of a favourable opportunity he would climb up the
columns and enter the house by the window over the doorway.
He was partial to the hour when the family were at dinner downstairs,
and he went about his business with such celerity that he usually had
a good booty out of the house before the diners had got to the length
of the kickshaws and trifles with which they finished their feast.
No doubt while he lifted valuables upstairs he did so to the clinking
of glasses and the play of the knife and fork downstairs; the merry
jest and animated conversation, no doubt, doing him good service in
drowning any little noise he might accidentally make in the course of
his operations.
Cunning and clever as our hero was he might have escaped “trouble” for
a long time, but for his passion for the society of the softer sex.
Emma James was taken into custody for offering for sale a pair of
boots acquired in their way of trade, and Peace coming to her rescue
was lodged in durance vile.
The scoundrel, as we already signified, resided in the same house with
James and a married sister; and a search of the latter’s house, made
by the police, brought to light a large quantity of stolen property.
Then the amiable brother and sister tried their hardest each to shift
the onus of the crime on each other.
The reports of the magisterial examination and trial of Peace and his
two confederates cannot fail to be interesting to the reader.
In the _Sheffield and Rotherham Independent_, of October 14th, 1854,
we find the following:――
STEALING WEARING APPAREL.
TUESDAY.――Present――W. Overend, Esq., R. Bayley, Esq., and H.
W. Wilkinson, Esq.
Emma James, Mary Ann Nield, and Charles Peace, all residing
in Bailey-lane, were charged with stealing wearing apparel,
jewellery, and trinkets from Mrs. Platt, Mr. R. Stuart, and
Mr. H. E. Hoole.
A large number of articles of wearing apparel, &c., was
placed upon the table, and Inspector Sills said he and
Policeman Marsland had found most of them at the house at
which the three prisoners lived in Bailey-lane. Some few he
had found upon the persons of the prisoners, and one dress
he had found in a house in West-court, Westbar.
A female named Skinner said she lodged with her sister, Mrs.
Platt, and that Mr. Platt’s house was robbed on the evening
of the 29th August. Some of the articles produced had been
taken away at that time.
Mr. Raynor now asked for a remand, to give time for the case
to be got up.
Mr. Wilkinson inquired if prisoners had anything to say why
they should not be remanded.
The male prisoner replied that he had got the things from
his sister (one of the female prisoners) for money owing to
him.
Mr. Raynor said he had no doubt it would turn out that the man
was the thief, and that the women were innocent. It was very
dastardly in Peace to seek to criminate his sister for the sake
of clearing himself.
Remanded until Friday.
The same paper of October 21st, 1854, contains the second examination.
RECOVERY OF A LARGE QUANTITY OF STOLEN PROPERTY.
At the Town Hall, yesterday, Charles Peace, Mary Nield, his
sister, and Emma James, were placed at the bar on several
charges of felony.
On Monday last James offered a pair of boots in pledge at
the shop of Messrs. Wright, of Westbar, which answering the
description of a portion of the property stolen from the
residence of Mr. H. E. Hoole, she was detained.
The prisoner Peace then came forward and claimed the boots,
and was given into custody.
Inspector Sills and Sergeant Marsland then searched his
house in Bailey-lane, and there found a large quantity of
jewellery and wearing apparel, the proceeds of robberies
effected at the residences of Henry Elliott Hoole, Esq.,
Crookes Moor House; R. Stuart, Esq., Brincliffe Edge; Mr.
George Fawcett Platt, of Priory Villa, Sharrow-lane; and Mr.
Brown, of Broomhall-street.
The houses of all these parties had been robbed by effecting
an entrance through the bedroom windows in the evening
before the windows were closed and fastened for the night.
The first charge on which evidence was taken was that of the
robbery at Mr. Hoole’s.
Lydia Frayman, the cook, proved that on the evening of the
12th of September seven pairs of boots were stolen from Mr.
Hoole’s dressing-room, and that from finger marks on the
portico pillar it was evident the thief had climbed the
portico, and thence entered the room by the window, which
was left open till nine o’clock that evening. She and the
coachman identified two pairs of boots, traced to the
possession of Peace, as part of the stolen property.
The next charge was that of robbing the residence of Mr.
Stuart, of Brincliffe Edge.
Mr. Stuart proved that on the night of the 29th September
they retired to rest about half-past ten. A gold eyeglass
belonging to Mr. Stuart was missing from the top of a chest
of drawers. The bedroom window was unfastened and open till
they went to bed. The following day she found that there had
been stolen from a chest of drawers in the bedroom, which
had been unlocked, the following articles, viz.:――Three
small boxes, containing £3 5s. in money; a diamond ring set
in plain gold, a garnet and pearl ring, a garnet ring, an
enamelled mourning ring with “Forget me not” on it, an oval
cornelian brooch set in enamelled gold, with a garnet sprig
on it; a gold brooch set in hair, a small imitation tortoise
brooch, gold drop, and jet earrings, a jet necklace, a black
velvet purse with gold clasp, and worked with gilt beads; a
gold hoop with rose, thistle, and shamrock worked round it;
a gold watch chain, with gold seal and key; a jet chain,
some jet beads, a set of seed coral beads loose, two
children’s coral necklaces, three purple enamelled studs set
with diamonds, an enamelled mourning ring with “Betsy Frith”
and the date engraved inside, a small pearl box lined with
crimson velvet, and a small French paper box, containing old
coins. The whole of these articles, with one or two
exceptions, had been recovered by the police, and were
produced and identified by Mrs. Stuart.
An assistant to Mr. Hammond, of Church-street, proved that
the prisoner, Nield, pawned the set of diamond shirt studs
for 5s.
Margaret Scotton, of West-court, widow, proved that on
Monday last the prisoners brought a silk dress, rug, a pair
of Wellington boots, and other things, to her house. After
Peace’s apprehension, James handed to her several gold rings
and other jewellery, and asked her to take care of them till
she returned. In the evening, James was brought to her house
by Inspector Sills, to whom witness gave up the rings, &c.
Mary Ann Roberts proved that she resided in Bailey-lane,
next door but one to the house in which Peace, Nield, and
James lived together. Last Monday, James brought a small box
and a bundle of clothes into her house, and asked her to
take care of them. The box was locked. That afternoon the
police came to search Peace’s house, and as they were going
away she called Sergeant Marsland into her house, and gave
him the box and bundle. The box was found to contain part of
the jewellery stolen from Mr. Stuart’s.
Edward Parker, of Kenyon-street, boot-closer, proved that a
month ago Peace sold him a garnet ring for two shillings.
The ring was too large for him, but he got it altered.
Yesterday Inspector Sills came to him, and he gave the ring
up.
The prisoner Nield made a statement, admitting that she had
pawned the diamond studs and other things; but declared that
she had been brought into the snare by her brother, the
prisoner Peace. She had seen Peace wearing some of the
rings, and also the diamond studs, several times, and did
not know but that he had come honestly by them.
Peace said his sister (the prisoner Nield) had given wearing
apparel, jewellery, &c., to James, whom he was about to
marry. Nield had given James these things in payment of a
debt of thirty shillings, which she owed him.
The girl James made a similar statement.
[Sidenote: No. 26.]
[Illustration: THE COWARDLY RUFFIAN DEALT A CRUSHING BLOW ON THE HEAD
OF THE YOUNG FARMER.]
The prisoners were fully committed for trial on these
charges, but were ordered to be brought up again on the
Tuesday, when evidence would be given, proving that other
property found in their possession was part of that stolen
from Mr. Platt’s, of Priory Villa, and Mr. Brown’s, of
Broomhall-street.
HOUSE ROBBERY.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, 1854.――Present――The Mayor, J. Jobson
Smith, Esq., G. P. Naylor, Esq., V. Corbett, Esq., W.
Jeffcock, Esq., and R. Bailey, Esq.
Charles Peace, Emma James, and Mary Ann Nield, who were last
week committed for trial on charges of robbing the houses of
Mr. Alderman Hoole, of Crookes Moor, and Mr. Stuart, of
Brincliffe Edge, were again brought up, charged with robbing
the house of Mr. George Platt, of Priory Villa,
Sharrow-lane.
The house was entered by the chamber window (which had been
left open) some time between eight and ten o’clock on the
night of Monday, the 28th of August, and a large quantity of
ladies’ wearing apparel stolen. A plank taken from an
adjoining building in course of erection was found reared
against the wall. There had been traced to the possession of
the three prisoners, two Canton crape shawls, two silk
dresses, a satin jacket, a Thibet shawl, a black satin
shawl, twenty yards of black silk, and other articles. Some
of these had been pawned at Messrs. Wright’s, in West Bar,
Mr. Hammond’s, Church-street, and others had been left by
the prisoners in the care of Mrs. Roberts, residing next
door to them in Bailey-lane, and Mrs. Scotton, of West Bank.
On Friday, Peace stated to the magistrates that these
articles were brought to his house by his sister Nield, who
made a present of them to James, to whom he was about being
married. To-day he stated that a man named Bethley gave them
to him to take home as a present to his sister. Nield said
she knew nothing of the story Peace had told the bench. He
brought the things to the house, saying he had bought them,
and she pawned some of them for him.
Committed for trial at the Sessions.
TRIAL AND CONVICTION.
At the Michaelmas Quarter Sessions, Charles Peace, joiner,
Emma James, spinster, servant, and Mary Ann Nield, married,
felt-dresser, were indicted for stealing a quantity of
rings, brooches, and other jewellery, from the house of Mr.
Richard Stuart, at Brincliffe-crescent. Mr. Overend
prosecuted; the prisoners were undefended.
The house was robbed on the night of the 30th August, and
the prisoners were proved to have pawned portions of the
stolen property, and others were found in their possession.
Peace in his defence said a watchmaker, named Bethley, in
Divison-street, had kept his sister (Nield) for some years,
and she had had three children by him. Bethley not having
given her any money lately sent the jewellery and a bundle
of wearing apparel by him to her, instead of money.
The female prisoners declined to say anything in their
defence.
The jury found all the prisoners guilty of feloniously
receiving the property knowing it to have been stolen.
Evidence was also given that Peace had been previously
convicted of felony.
Mr. Maude said there were two other indictments against the
prisoners for robberies at the house of Mr. H. E. Hoole, of
Crookes Moore, and Mr. George Platt, of Sharrow-lane.
The court thought it unnecessary to proceed with these
cases.
Peace was sentenced to four years’ penal servitude, and the
female prisoners to be imprisoned for six months each to
hard labour.