Burglary at Skircoat [1859]

Burglary at Skircoat, Halifax – Trial 11th July 1859.

Thomas Walton (on bail) was charged with Lars Peter Nicholie Ernst of burglary at the house of Mr John Crossley of Skircoat, Halifax, on the 18th March last, and stealing several articles of plated goods.

Ernst pleaded guilty to the burglary and said that he alone had committed the burglary. Under these circumstances, it was proposed to proceed against the prisoner Walton for having in his possession the property stated. Walton was found guilty and sentenced to two months imprisonment. Ernst, it was said, seems to have been of a romantic disposition and possesses rather a curious biography.

He is about 38 years of age, and about middle height wears gold earrings in his ears and has many scars on his body. His arms are marked with figures of ships, trees, men, &c and the words Marcia Gonzales. Through the nipple of each breast is a silver ring. There are a number of other figures similarly marked in blue ink on other parts of his body.

The Judge said that he found on looking over the papers before him that Ernst was convicted in 1850 at Worcester Assizes when he got two years imprisonment for burglary; in 1858 His Lordship tried him for another burglary at Gloucester; in September 1858 he was tried for a burglary on board a vessel and he now pleaded guilty to three other burglaries. Imprisonment was of no use and he should, therefore, send him for penal servitude for ten years.

Although Lars Peter Nicholie Ernst was sentenced to 10 years penal servitude on 11th July 1859 he was not transported to Western Australia until he went aboard a convict ship Clyde (320 convicts) departing England on 11th March 1963 and arriving in Australia on 28th May 1863