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with his client, an 1 rec*?i7ij 1 most minute instructions for his defence at Leeds.Great excitement prevails in town. Peace remains ia Sheffield till further ii^tructions are received.Police Constable Robinson, who captured Peace at^ Blackheatb, is at present in Sheffild, and paid a visit to Peace in his cell.—Manclutter ! Guardian.CONFESSION BY THE PRISONER.It is understood that Peace has made no secret I of his career after the Banner Cross murder. To a i friend he said, “ Do you want to know how 1 dodged the bobbies?” 41 Well, I will tell you then.” He asked them to turn their backs to him a bit. They did so, ard were astounded to find that Peace bad completely altered the expression of his face, and so protruded his chin and curled his lips that, under ordinary cireumst tnces, it would have been impossible to recognise him, esp-dally as he had. by the peculiar contortion of I his foatur*-?, forced the blood into his face until he looked like a mulatto. One of the spectators said, 4* No wonder you could get clear from Sheffield when you can change your face like that.’* Whereupon Peace laughed and said, 4* I cau do some dodges. I can dodge any detective in existence. I did not change ray face much when I left Sheffield, but I will tell you about it. After what took place at the Banner Cross Terrace I went across fields in the direction of Endcliffa Hall to Crooko and Sandi* gat“, and then back down to Broombill, where I took a cab and drove down to the church gates. There I got out and went to the housf* of a relative ia Spring Street aud changed clothes. 1 afterwards went to Rotherham, and, walking to Mas-borough 8tatiun, took a ticket for Beverley. I left the train at NormantoD, and, retaining the ticket, took another one for York. I stayed in York a night or two, and using the ticket, went on to Beverley, and then to Hull. There, he went on t say he committed several robberies, and afterwards ; visited Ljeds, Bradford, and Manchester. From i the last-named place he journeyed to Nottingham, where he met with Mr\ Thompson. He had not been long in Nottingham before he committed a silk robbery, taking goods to trie value of about £300. He was stopping at a lodging-hou»e with Mrs. Thompson, and after they had gone to ! bed one evening a policeman weut into . their room. Peace affected to be very iu-| dignant at the man's intrusion, aud asked him ; what he wanted. Continuing his narrative, Peace ; said—*4 The officer wanted to know who I was and j where I came from, and I at once replied that I j was a hawk-r. The officer asked for my licence and what I was cirrying. I told him that my licence and the goods I was carrying were down stairs, and said if he would go down and wait till my wife and I got up I would show them to him. The officer walked out of the room, and no sooner had he gone than I got oat of the window aud escaped. I took shelter in a house close by, an 1 sent the landlady of that house back to the lodging-house from which I escaped to fetch my boots. When I found that Nottingham was getting too hot for me I carao to Sheffield, aud did a good bit of ‘work/ One of the places I robbed w'as a house at the corner of Havelock Square, and I did very well there. I saw the bobby coming through, and I left. At the same time that the inquest was being held upon Mr. Dyson 1 was in Sheffield, and on several occasions I went to Hull to see my wife, and gave her money. Afterwards I Went to London, taking Mrs. Thompson with me. On the two occasions while I was in London I met Bill Fisher, a man with whom I had worked. Tho first time I met him was on the Holoorn Viaduct, and as I passed him I heard him say, 4 Why, that’s Peace.’ I lost myself immediately, but not long after I met him again on the steps leading to Farringdon Street. On that occasion our eyes met again, and I was off directly. I have often met the best London detectives, aud stared at them right in the face, but they could not recognise me.” Peace’s statement with respect to his meeting Fisher is confirmed by the fact that Fisher, on his return t) Sheffield, communicated with the police, and told them that he had seen Peace in London, and tho London police were apprised of the fact that the convict was amongst them.
Newspaper Details
Belfast Morning News
Belfast, Ulster, GB
Mon, Jan 27, 1879
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
IA, USA 23 Jan 2025
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Belfast Morning News
