1902 - Proceedings of the Old Bailey

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
Record
Date 1902
Topic Address in Robin Hood Lane, Poplar, used in connection with fraud and deception
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Robin Hood Lane, Poplar.

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2018-06-15. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-01-08.

Record

[2 Jun. 1902:]
JAMES MURRAY FLEMING. I am secretary to the Bazaar, Exchange and Mart newspaper, 170, Strand—I produce two instructions for advertisements in that paper (Read): "Lady's Beeston Cycle, 55s. 6d., part exchange, Wilson, 8, Robin Hood Lane, Poplar, E." and "Gentleman's Rover Pneumatic, 25s. 6d., grand order, Burton, 80, Baalam Street, Plaistow, E."—I also produce both those advertisements as they appeared in the Bazaar, Exchange, and Mart on April 4th.

WILLIAM GEORGE WELTON (Warder). I served a copy of this Notice to Produce on Robert Rix on May 20th.

ELLEN ROBINSON (Wardress). I served a copy of this Notice to Produce upon Emily Rix on May 20th.

WILLIAM CRIDLAND (Detective Sergeant K.) I served a copy of this Notice to Produce upon John Morris on May 20th.

NELLIE CARVER. I am single and live at 13, College Street, Swindon, Wilts—I saw the advertisement relating to a lady's cycle in the Bazaar, Exchange and Mart, and I wrote in reply stating that I had a bearskin rug value £5, which I would exchange for that bicycle if it was in good condition—I received this reply (Produced), stating that the bicycle was in first class condition and that my rug should be returned if I was not satisfied with the bicycle—believing the writer to be a lady named Wilson, and that she had a bicycle to sell, I sent this rug (Produced) and received this reply, stating that the writer was very disappointed with it, that it was not worth £1, but that if I would send a sovereign she would send the bicycle or return the rug—I then sent a money order for £1 post dated ten days—I received the money order back with a letter saying the machine would only be sent on receipt of cash—I then wrote and asked for the return of my rug at once, and in the meantime informed the police—I never received my rug back and heard nothing more of it until I heard from the police.

Cross-examined by MR. BURNIE. I sent my rug on April 7th.

ANNIE FIELD HOLDEN. I am wife of Albert Holden, of Blackburn, Lancashire—on April 4th I saw the advertisement (Produced) relating to a lady's bicycle, and I wrote offering £1 in cash and a violin and bow in case in exchange for the bicycle, and I received a reply stating that if I sent £1 and the violin and bow, the machine would be sent off at once—on April 10th I sent £1 and the violin and bow in case to Mrs. Wilson, 8, Robin Hood Lane—those are the violin and bow and case (Produced)—I received this letter (Produced) acknowledging the receipt of the violin and stating that the machine would be sent on the following Monday or Tuesday—not having received the machine I wrote again to Mrs. Wilson, but received no reply, and I then informed the police.

FRANCIS KEAST. I live at 445, Battersea Park Road—on April 4th I saw the advertisement relating to a gentleman's bicycle in the Exchange and Mart newspaper, and I wrote offering an air gun and a watch in exchange—I received this letter stating that if I sent them on, the machine would be sent on at once—these (Produced) are the articles I sent believing I should get the machine in exchange—the watch was marked "Glass, with care"—I received this letter stating that the articles were to hand and that the machine would be sent on the following Saturday evening—not having received the machine I wrote a letter to the address given in the advertisement, and it was returned through the post marked "Gone away."

ISABELLA BIGG. I live at 10, Robin Hood Lane, Poplar, and am the wife of Henry Edgar Bigg—my mother lives at No. 8, Robin Hood Lane, and keeps a tobacco and newspaper shop there, and I help her in the business—the female prisoner came into the shop about the end of February and asked if I would receive letters and parcels for which she would pay 1d. for each letter and 2d. for each parcel, and I agreed to do so—she gave the name of Wilson—I remember a parcel coming between February 8th and 10th, with the ends open, and I saw that it contained something similar to the rug produced—it was addressed to Mrs. Wilson—the female prisoner called for it and I gave it to her—I also remember another parcel coming about the same time containing the violin, bow and case produced also a registered letter, both addressed to Mrs. Wilson, and I handed them to the female prisoner when she called—she paid me 2d. each for the parcels and 1d. for the letter, together with the receipt (Produced) for the registered letter, and took them away—she always came alone except that she carried a baby.[1]

Source notes

IRHB has silently regularized the use of spaces before punctuation marks in the quotation and corrected the HTML text at Proceedings of the Old Bailey from the PDF of the original printed edition.

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