The Victorian Charge of Embezzlement.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 221, 23 September 1870, Page 2

The Victorian Charge of Embezzlement.

The Court to-day was crowded, owing to the interest excited by the chase and clever capture of the Victorian bolter. The prisoner had the air of perfect nonchalance, using his tooth-pick as an indifferent spectator, and setting the detective right on minor points of his evidence. In the Police Gazette of Victoria he is described as " English, a surveyor and architect, aged 34, 5 feet 9 inches high, medium build, fair complexion, sandyish hair, wh ikers, and beard, and goodlooking." As he is at present cleanshaven, the prisoner, who is pleasantly communicative in private, explains the disappearance of his beard by an encounter with the husband of the lady (Mrs. Cassidy) who has accompanied him in his travels. It appears that the party having travelled down from Sunbury to Melbourne, feigned drunkenness on the part of the husband led to a fight which resulted in the pulling out by the roots of one half of the prisoner's flowing beard. For the sake of appearance, the " barberous" operation was completed, which fact, as he is anxious to show, and not the fear of detection, led to his barefaced appearance in the dock. The conduct of the captain of the Santon, in keeping the " danger signal" flying so long as the officers were on board, shows unmistakeable complicity ; and it is evident that an extensive conspiracy had been in operation to shelter the prisoner and enable him to tscape from the country. This has been a costly operation to the prisoner, and explains the rapid drain of his ill-gotten gains. As no doubt the ramifications of the conspiracy will be thoroughly traced, we shall not further refer ro the subject; but we would call the attention of the police to the conduct of the watermen employed by the prisoner, and who, we presume, are holders of a license. Mr3. Cassidy still adheres to her luckless paramour, and both appear regardless of the infamy in which they have been involved. We heartily commend the spirited conduct and perseverance of Detective Murphy, and the whole of the police, who, in face of great difficulties thrown in their way at every turn, have hunted the prisoner to earth.