Murder most foul
Last updated 09:33, Friday, 04 July 2008
The year 1885 witnessed one of the most infamous robberies in Cumbria’s history. A notorious ladder gang met and plotted to burgle Netherby Hall, the seat of Sir Frederick Graham.
They were Anthony Benjamin Rudge, John Martin, James Baker and accomplice William Baker.
The gang met on October 27 at the Longtown Coursing meeting. On the following day the alarm was raised by a maid: the hall had been robbed. The gang had executed an audacious entry, taking some of Lady Graham’s prized jewellery while the Grahams enjoyed their evening meal!
A police pursuit resulted in a struggle at Kingstown, where the officers were beaten with a jemmy and shot at with revolvers. The gang headed for the Dalston Road railway crossing and was met by PC Fortune, who was beaten unconscious with a jemmy. They then made it to Plumpton but were spotted by the station master.
Local constable PC Byrnes took up the chase and was shot in the head and thrown over a wall. He was critically wounded and died of his injuries.
The criminals made their escape on a goods train but were spotted by the guard. He secretly pasted up a note asking the police to meet the train at Tebay – which was spotted by the driver of a passing train!
As a result the whole gang was eventually tracked and captured.
Justice was finally done when after a three-day trial – in which the fatal bullet formed part of the evidence – Rudge, Martin and James Baker were hanged on February 8,1886.
The full story and some of the evidence will be presented at the Tullie House free lunch-time lecture at 1pm on Tuesday July 15.
