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Source: Bell's Weekly Messenger, No.1856, Sunday, October 30, 1831.

Queen Square.
Extensive robbery by a servant.

On Thursday John William Butcher was brought up in custody by a Bristol constable, and placed at the bar before Mr. Gregorie, charged with robbing his employer, Mr. Stephen Fitzgerald, of No. 43, Millbank-street, Westminster, oil and colourman, of 400 sovereigns and 55l. in Bank of England notes, together with a draft on Curtis and Co. for 20l.
The prosecutor, who belongs to the Society of Friends, stated that the prisoner had lived in his service between three and four years as a journeyman. On the afternoon of the 21st inst. he went out in his gig, and on his return found the prisoner absent. As he did not return at half-past nine, the time for shutting up the shop, he (prosecutor) went to take his cash-box from his box, but found it gone, as well as the 400 sovereigns and Bank notes which it had contained. He immediately caused handbills to be printed. A few mornings since one of his servants, who was at work in the cellar below the shop, found the cash-box with the Bank notes and the draft in the old candle-box.

John Smith stated that he was a police constable of Bristol; that from information he received on Tuesday last he has strong suspicions that the prisoner had sailed in an American vessel for New York, which left that port the day before, and the wind being against her, he took a boat, and went in pursuit of the prisoner. In the course of the day he found the American ship, James Cropper, bound for New York, at anchor in the Bristol Channel, being wind-bound. On going on board he discovered the prisoner, and on searching him he found a bag in his pocket containing 134 sovereigns and a half, and a purse containing eight sovereigns and a half. Witnessed told him that he was charged with robbing Mr. Fitzgerald; he replied that he had been overcome in an evil hour, and that he had robbed one of the best of masters. Witness then searched his trunk, and found another bag containing 178 sovereigns and a half, a gold watch, gold chain and seals, two musical snuff-boxes, a silver snuff-box, two gold penholders, some books, a quantity of new wearing apparel, and some other articles, the whole of which he admitted he had purchased with the money he had robbed his master of. Witness took him out of the ship and brought him to London. The prisoner told him he had left the notes in the cellar.

The prisoner, who is only 24 years of age, and was in America some years ago, made no defense, and was fully committed.