ALLEGED ROBBERY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 616, 20 September 1909, Page 7

ALLEGED ROBBERY.

' : '^ : /ADVENTUEE}WITH FOOTPADS. ' ' :-y' ; ■'/<;.:■■'■;; STATEMENT.':"; >>; '■ ■ ■':', The. followingi remarkable , statement- was' furnished, to anvj'Qtago Daily .Times", reporter on Friday night .by Mr." A; B. Taylor, recently .of<AYelliugton;—:.- .■' ' ':y.y. :'.: v/';, ■,;.•' V."I 'am: a .commercial: traveller,:'and : have' lately;:'come. from*;.: Wellington. to reside with' my people at Dunedin. Recently. I went ior a' holiday to'Gow 'aud Inyercargillrand returned to - Dunedin:; on .Wednesday/ evening, ■ a little, after 7: o'clock. ,'>l~returned homo by-way of Princess Street and Manor Place.' Just, as I, got ; ;tp; the .bridge 'above. Stocp. Street, a : man appeared, and; aSkedi me .for a match, ..v'Cer-; tainly,) old .chaß/.'.l .said., I was carrying 'a brown bverboatrand agladstoiie.bag, and while I .searched;for matohea 'with my disengaged hand ; the ;man suddenly': wized me. by .tho wrists. Another man got'hold"of. , me , behind, and'passing ,his.:arm round. my neck pressed ; it' ;: against my) mouth; which: prevented ; my calling 0ut. , '..:. ;'He-.finally"- pinioned:me while the- other "'proceeded, tp.go through, toy bag, and,.finding a':shirt; jammed as much of it as possiblo into my..mouth,',- 1 and, taking -a turnaround my:neck, brought the, sleeves forward'.:again, knotting : them tightly under my ohin;;''.. This not only' .effectively. gagged' me, but nearly choked .me as well." .... ;■ -.■•'■ • .-Horo Mr. Taylor /produced tho : shirt,-draw-ing attention to a part: which was still damp. This, ho said, , :had been stuffed into his mouth. . Continuing, Mr, Taylor said: "Icould hardly breathe.'. ;• My temples throbbed and my head seemed bursting.-.The man who was not holding mo. went, through., my , pockets, and afterwards, again .through the bag,, taking 15s..'in" silver,and:coppers., a new pipe, sonlo tobacco, and a new. razor, "hey, , then took off my belt." ..Mr-. Taylor .produced , the belt and showed '■how the men hadintcrwound it round his-legs,' tightly, buckling it. ::; .>■. ~ ■ .: 7 'Thcy .then .produced ; a fino cord, which thoy tied to. my ankl«6,. ; and, bringing down my arms behind- me, seourcd my .wrists behind my 'knees. -I-was in a crouching position'and' •tlid pressure,on my wrish and.ankles stopped■ the circulation of tho bipod, At this place there is n.slope down one way, arid I rolled' a.little in that direction. 'Better lay him away a blt.Vorie of them said, nnd they rolled me over out of tho pathyray. After they hod gdno'l managed with great difßcnity to twist round till I got back* pn to the path, where I \tty, trussed till Then I heard foot■step3,'and a lady and gentleman. approached." The gentleman released him. . ■ , ' ' '■■■'■ Tho. police,. when • approached ■ on • the subject, stated that the incident had been reported-by [Mr.Taylpr. ;,'./•;..;■;;; > ' .;•. '•': ..-'._;