Tweet
I have posted in another thread an editorial from the London Evening Post of 4 October 1888 which says:
"While a cordon was drawn around Mitre-square last Sunday morning the Aldgate post-office round the corner was broken into and robbed. So many men were wanted at the scene of one of the murders that apparently nobody was left to look after the post-office, which would probably have fared better with a constable on his normal beat."
I wondered if this robbery actually occurred or was one of those apocryphal stories that one sometimes finds in newspapers but have since discovered the following report in the Pall Mall Gazette of 1 October 1888:
"ROBBERY AT A LONDON POST-OFFICE
Between the hours of midnight last night and eight o'clock this morning the Aldgate post-office, situated at the corner of Duke-street, Aldgate, was entered by thieves. It is supposed that the entrance was gained by the skylight. On reaching the second floor, which is occupied by the boy telegraph messengers, about £3, the wages of the lads, was taken, and their uniforms and other things about the room were scattered in all directions. Descending the staircase to the basement floor, all the postal orders and forms were disturbed, and some torn into shreds, while tills were forced open and about £50 I gold and silver extracted. The safe, however, which contained nearly £400 in gold, was left untouched."
Then we have this from the Echo of 2 November 1888:
"Some weeks ago a burglary was committed at the Aldgate Post-office. Yesterday, Francis Robarti, a "tipster", tried to change 120 fivepenny stamps, a portion of the proceeds of the burglary at the Burlington House Post-office. The chief clerk there asked where he had obtained them, and he said from a man named Lacy, a part payment of a bet. He declined to give Lacy's address, at it might get him into trouble, as the affair was a betting transaction. He, however, promised to bring Lacy in the evening. He did not do so, but instead came with his wife, and saw Constable Towey, to whom he repeated his explanation. He was apprehended, and charged with being in the unlawful possession of the stamps, at the Marlborough-street Police-court, to-day. - Detective-sergeant Drew informed the Magistrate that Robarti had been previously convicted, and he was thereupon imprisoned for a week."
Then from the Daily News of 17 November 1888:
"MARLBOROUGH-STREET.- THE LATE POST-OFFICE ROBBERIES.- Francis Robarti, a young man, described as a "tipster," was again charged on remand with being in unlawful possession of 120 fivepenny postage-stamps, which were believed to form part of the proceeds of a robbery of £268 worth of stamps at the Mitre-square Post-office some weeks ago. The stamps in question were presented by prisoner for change at the Burlington House Post-office, where he accounted for possession of them by saying he had got them from a bookmaker named Lacy in payment for a bet. He had, however, presented other stamps at other post-offices, and, in some cases, obtained the money for them. Failing direct evidence as to complicity in the robbery at Aldgate, and as to how the prisoner obtained the stamps, the Post Office authorities asked the magistrate to deal with the case as one of unlawful possession. - Mr. Purcell, barrister, who appeared for the defence, withdrew all imputations against Mr. Lacy, and the accused was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour."
From the Evening Standard of the same day:
"At the Marlborough-street Police-court yesterday, FRANCIS ROBARTI, described as a tipster, was sent to prison for two months for having in his possession one hundred and twenty fivepenny stamps, alleged to be part of the proceeds of a burglary at the Post-Office, Mitre-square, Aldgate, when stamps of all kinds, to the value of two hundred and sixty-eight pounds, were carried away."
Here's the interesting thing. 16 November 1888 was the day that one Francis Tumblety was bailed, having been committed to trial at Marlborough Street Police Court two days earlier and now here we have a Francis Robarti being convicted at the same Police Court on 16 November 1888! An amusing coincidence of sorts.
"While a cordon was drawn around Mitre-square last Sunday morning the Aldgate post-office round the corner was broken into and robbed. So many men were wanted at the scene of one of the murders that apparently nobody was left to look after the post-office, which would probably have fared better with a constable on his normal beat."
I wondered if this robbery actually occurred or was one of those apocryphal stories that one sometimes finds in newspapers but have since discovered the following report in the Pall Mall Gazette of 1 October 1888:
"ROBBERY AT A LONDON POST-OFFICE
Between the hours of midnight last night and eight o'clock this morning the Aldgate post-office, situated at the corner of Duke-street, Aldgate, was entered by thieves. It is supposed that the entrance was gained by the skylight. On reaching the second floor, which is occupied by the boy telegraph messengers, about £3, the wages of the lads, was taken, and their uniforms and other things about the room were scattered in all directions. Descending the staircase to the basement floor, all the postal orders and forms were disturbed, and some torn into shreds, while tills were forced open and about £50 I gold and silver extracted. The safe, however, which contained nearly £400 in gold, was left untouched."
Then we have this from the Echo of 2 November 1888:
"Some weeks ago a burglary was committed at the Aldgate Post-office. Yesterday, Francis Robarti, a "tipster", tried to change 120 fivepenny stamps, a portion of the proceeds of the burglary at the Burlington House Post-office. The chief clerk there asked where he had obtained them, and he said from a man named Lacy, a part payment of a bet. He declined to give Lacy's address, at it might get him into trouble, as the affair was a betting transaction. He, however, promised to bring Lacy in the evening. He did not do so, but instead came with his wife, and saw Constable Towey, to whom he repeated his explanation. He was apprehended, and charged with being in the unlawful possession of the stamps, at the Marlborough-street Police-court, to-day. - Detective-sergeant Drew informed the Magistrate that Robarti had been previously convicted, and he was thereupon imprisoned for a week."
Then from the Daily News of 17 November 1888:
"MARLBOROUGH-STREET.- THE LATE POST-OFFICE ROBBERIES.- Francis Robarti, a young man, described as a "tipster," was again charged on remand with being in unlawful possession of 120 fivepenny postage-stamps, which were believed to form part of the proceeds of a robbery of £268 worth of stamps at the Mitre-square Post-office some weeks ago. The stamps in question were presented by prisoner for change at the Burlington House Post-office, where he accounted for possession of them by saying he had got them from a bookmaker named Lacy in payment for a bet. He had, however, presented other stamps at other post-offices, and, in some cases, obtained the money for them. Failing direct evidence as to complicity in the robbery at Aldgate, and as to how the prisoner obtained the stamps, the Post Office authorities asked the magistrate to deal with the case as one of unlawful possession. - Mr. Purcell, barrister, who appeared for the defence, withdrew all imputations against Mr. Lacy, and the accused was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour."
From the Evening Standard of the same day:
"At the Marlborough-street Police-court yesterday, FRANCIS ROBARTI, described as a tipster, was sent to prison for two months for having in his possession one hundred and twenty fivepenny stamps, alleged to be part of the proceeds of a burglary at the Post-Office, Mitre-square, Aldgate, when stamps of all kinds, to the value of two hundred and sixty-eight pounds, were carried away."
Here's the interesting thing. 16 November 1888 was the day that one Francis Tumblety was bailed, having been committed to trial at Marlborough Street Police Court two days earlier and now here we have a Francis Robarti being convicted at the same Police Court on 16 November 1888! An amusing coincidence of sorts.
Comment