CAPTURE OF BRUTTON, THE ABSCONDING UNION BANK CLERK

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 34, 20 February 1862, Page 3

CAPTURE OF BRUTTON, THE ABSCONDING UNION BANK CLERK

A young man of gentlemanly appearance, named William Joseph Bratton, was taken before the borough magistrates at Southampton, Nov 25, and remanded, under the following circumstances : Brutton has been engaged for the last three or four years as a clerk at the Union Australian Bank, Otago, New Zealand, whence he absconded in the month of August with nearly £ISOO in his possession. He made his way to Melbourne, and there took a passage in the ship Roxburgh Castle for England. This vessel arrived oil’ Cowes on Nov. 23, on her way up Channel for London, and the prisoner landed at that port with two or three other passengers, and in the evening Brutton crossed over to Southampton. At that place he fell under the vigilant eye of Verge, a detective policeman in the Southanipton borough police force, who recognised him as answering to the description of the runaway which had been sentfrom London. Verge consequently took him into custody and on searching him about £3OO was found upon his person. The prisoner was kept in custody till yesterday morning, when he was taken before the magistrates, and remanded till the arrival of an officer from Loudon, who had gone to Deal to await the arrival of the Roxburgh Castle at that place. Brutton acknowledged his guilt. —Home News. -