From "The Illustrated Police News"
London, Saturday, August 9, 1879
DESPERATE STRUGGLE WITH BURGLARS
At the Worship-street Police-court, John SPARROW giving the alias of John WELCH, twenty-eight years of age, was charged on remand with having been concerned with another not yet apprehended in attempting burglariously to break and enter the premises of Messrs. KENT and Co., brush manufacturers of Cambridge-street, Bethnal-green; and further with having feloniously wounded William TILBURY and James HARREN. Mr. St. John WONTNER appeared for the prosecution; the prisoner was not defended. Mr. WONTNER reminded the court that the prisoner was first brough up three weeks ago, when the witnesses, though severely injuted, gave evidence which showed that shortly after twelve o'clock on the previous night TILBURY, who was cashier to the prosecutors, was aroused by a noise at the yard gate, and looking from the window saw two men entering the yard. The witness left the house by the front door, and sought assistance, and failing to find a constable, called a neighbour named WARREN. Both returned to the yard, and entered the gate. In the yard they found three men crouching behind an iron tank. Directly they advanced upon them, the men sprang out and attacked the witnesses. WARREN was struck down by a blow from some heavy weapon, supposed to be a "jemmy." TILBURY also received a fearful blow, and an injury to the hand. That was given him by the prisoner, who was struck in return by TILBURY with a lantern he carried. The three men got out of the yard, but the witnesses followed them, though bleeding fast. They were threatened that if they did not turn back they would be murdered, one of the men holding up a jemmy. WARREN soon after dropped down from loss of blood, and TILBURY became so faint as to be unable to continue. Two gentlemen however, were passing, and TILBURY asked them to follow the three, which they did. Two of the three managed, notwithstanding, to escape over a wall leading to the canal, and the prisoner was in the act of following when caught by the leg in the act of getting over the wall. The prisoner gave the name of WELCH, and an address in Camperdown-road, Bermondsey. That address was found to be the residence of a man named John WELCH, who was a ticket-of-leave man, and well known to the police. There was no doubt that that man was the prisoner's companion on the night in question. He could not now be found. Mr. WONTNER remarked that he though the gallant and determined conduct of the witness TILBURY was beyond praise. Mr. BUSHBY said he thoroughly agreed with that opinion, not only as preserving his employer's property, but as assisting the ends of justice. The prisoner put in a long written statement in defence, and was afterwards fully committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court.
From "The Illustrated Police News"
London, Saturday, July 23, 1881
WORSHIP STREET - ALLEGED RECEIVING AND FELONY
Edward BURGESS, middle-aged, journeyman brushmaker, and William TILBURY, about [30], manufacturer, were charged on remand with stealing and receiving certain machines, the property of Messrs. KENT and Co., brush manufacturers, of Old Ford, Bow. The prisoners had been apprehended on Thursday in consequence of the machines in question, two drilling machines and a "[h/b]o[b]ber," being found on TILBURY's premises, which were searched under a warrant applied for by Mr. C. KENT, a member of the prosecuting firm. In [connec]tion with the case, however, it was stated [that bot]h prisoners had been in the employment of Messrs. KENT, BURGESS as workman and TILBURY as clerk and cashier. The latter lived on the premises, had control of everything and large sums of money, and had been for many years in their service. About two years ago TILBURY was prominently before the public in connection with a charge of burglary attempted on the prosecutors' premises. TILBURY on that occasion defeated the burglars' attempt, but was severely wounded by them, they using a revolver, and beating him about the head with a "jemmy." Mr. St. John WONTNER for the prosecution on the hearing of the case said that it was difficult to over-estimate the bravery TILBURY had exhibited in defence of Messrs. KENT's goods. TILBURY, it seems, left Messrs. KENT some months ago to start in business for himself, and recently took BURGESS into his service, TILBURY stating before the Court that he bought the machines of BURGESS. The prisoners were remanded, the prosecution consenting to Mr. ABBO[TT]'s application for bail for TILBURY.
