LAW & ORDER – Clever Capture of Foreign Adventuress at Redcar

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea 11/05/1877.

CLEVER CAPTURE OF A FOREIGN
ADVENTURESS AT REDCAR.

            A middle-aged woman, who gives the name of and Amelia Wilson, and states that she is a native of Norway, was apprehended at Redcar on Wednesday afternoon (09/05), on a charge of stealing a lady’s gold watch, from the house of Harrison Verrill, Staithes. The person whose career has thus been temporarily checked appears to have been going from place to place, representing herself as a sea captain’s wife, expecting to be joined by her husband, whom she said, was returning from a voyage. In this way, she is said to have imposed upon lodging-house keepers at Hull, and Scarbro’ -it being her practice to stay for some days in each place, and then decamp without paying for her lodgings. From Scarbro’ she had gone to Staithes, and left there in the same way on Monday (07/05). After her disappearance, a gold watch was missed, and the matter was put in the hands of P.C. Hammond, who is stationed at Staithes. This officer at once started in pursuit, and found that a woman answering the description of the one he was in search of, had slept on Monday night at Mrs. Clark’s, in Amber Street, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, and had left on Tuesday morning (08/05). He next heard of her passing Marske, coming in the direction of Redcar by the sands, whither he followed. He was there joined in his surge by Police-Sergeant Alexander, and inquiries were bed from house to house. After searching in this way for twenty-four hours, the officer found the person they wanted, walking along Turner Street. She was most respectably dressed, and appeared very indignant when accosted by the officers, more especially when they stated their errand. On the way to the police station she was observed to drop the watch, while passing along Milbank Terrace, which one of the officers picked up, and on being charged with stealing it said: “I have been a thief; I have stole the watch.” It transpired subsequently that she had taken apartments in Balmoral Terrace, Coatham, and had here varied her story by pretending that it was her son that she expected by the next train. She was removed to Whitby in custody the same night, the offence for which she was arrested having been committed within the jurisdiction of the Whitby magistrates. Great praise is due to the police officer’s day named for their perseverance in the case, which should also serve to place lodging house keepers on their guard