Other prisoners, named respectively William Ball and John Allison, labourers and Arthur Poulsen a boy were charged with being in possession of 56 bales of tobacco, the average weight of the bales being 50 pounds each.
William Adamson formerly a Steward on board a steamer was charged with being concerned in the possession of 42 bales of tobacco each of the average weight of 50 pounds.
Police Constable Ellrington deposed that on wednesday night he was on duty in Waterworks Street, Hull when he saw the two prisoners, Robert and Frederick Poulsen backing a cart into a shed at the back of their father's shop, the elder prisoner being there to receive them.
He asked what was in the cart, the reply being "nothing".
He persisted in examining the contents and finding it was tobacco he took them in charge. He then removed to the Police Station a box and two bags of tobacco, the weight being 154 pounds.
The prisoners were remanded for eight days. Ball, Allison and Arthur Poulsen were then placed in the dock and Mr Grayjones , Collector of Customs, stated that when the discovery was made at Poulsen's business premises in Hull he sent Officers to that prisoners private residence at Cottingham near Hull. They watched the place and that morning they saw Ball and Allison and the boy Poulsen come out of the premises n charge of a cart.
On examining the cart they found it obtained 25 bales of tobacco of which they took possession. Allison told him he had been asked by Ball to help him dig some potato rows and as soon as he found that he was wanted to bury some tobacco he refused to assist and was merely walking out of the yard.
The Officers searched the house and they found more bales of tobacco bringing the total quantity found at Cottingham to 56 bales, the average weight being 50 pounds.
Allison was discharged and the other prisoners were remanded for eight days.
William Adamson was next brought up and a Customs Officer deposed that on wednesday night he was sent to watch the banks of the Humber between Hessle and Ferriby. He, with another Officer walked along the bank and saw a boat a short distance below high water mark aground on the mud. As they approached the boat two men came out of it whom they captured -Adamson being one of them. The other man made his escape.
In the boat they found 20 bales of tobacco and in a hut on the bank they found 22 bales of tobacco and cigars. The single value of the whole of the tobacco found was about £1700* and Mr Grayjones said that the Customs in that case would no doubt press for the full penalty of treble value and duty.
The weight of the tobacco found at Cottingham was about 2800 pounds. The prisoner Adamson who said he had only gone down to the boat out of curiosity, hearing that Officers were about was also remanded for eight days. He applied for bail that he might be able to prove his innocence but the Magistrate said he would take time to consider the application for bail in that and the other cases.
* this equates to around £143000 in today's money (2020)
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