ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1685, 27 February 1913, Page 5

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

A (lENSATIONAL COUP. CAKFULLY PLANNED. (By Telcgrapli.—l'resa Association.) Auckland, February 2G. Bank notes,, gold, silver, jewellery, and other property, valued iu tlui aggregate at about were stolen from the jruests in the Grand' Hotel during the early hours of this mcming. The burglary wns evidently carefully planned and skilfully executed, :ior six rooms were visited in various parts of tho hotel and tho Ihief escaped without leaving tho slightest elud that might ImA to his detection. The following are tho names of the guests who were robbed Harry Corson Clarke, of New York, AilO in notes and gold, and about J2l in silver _ ' T, A, Hall, of Wellington, ijold .ycatch

and chain and pendant, valued at <£20, and official papers. T. A. H. Russell of Hawko's> Bay, sold and silver amounting to nbout £10. T. C.-' Stanley Smith, of Dunedin, £5, and n steamer ticket. Jlr6. Dadley, of Auckland, two bracelets. Another room -was also entered and from it some important business papers were stolen, but no articles of intrinsic value were taken. The principal hotel of the city lias en. joyed complete - immunity from criminal depredations since it'tiytis; established; At present there are many guests at the hotel and a profound sensation was createdamong them by the accounts that wero Siven by those who had b?en victimised. There is qo indication \i;hether one or two burglars achieved tliis sensational coup, but it is probable that it was tlio work of one man. • Few Difficulties. , Beyond the !:act that till the rooms visited were occupied there were few difficulties to be avoided. The hotel was .locked at about 12.30 a.m., but it is believed that the burglar was then secreted in the building. By one o'clock guests lad all retired to their rooms; and from that hour until three- o'clock the night porter did not go above the ground floor. Some time - within .that period the. burglar,? . was accomplished. Ixlo stairs, corridors, and bedrooms w J heavilv covered, to that a light looted man could easily move about without disturbing any-one,. His plans coin--pieted, a simplo means of escape was afforded bv the; lire-escape, " and "it IS presumed that: the thief left tlio hotel by passing through a vacant room on the first floor, and gaining access to the fireescape alongside the window into the right-tff-way which opens on tb the 'principal street on the - southern side nf the' Hotel. : - ' ; The Chief Victim. The principal victim was Mr. Harry Corson,Clarke,; one- of the chief mem-' hers of the. J.O. Williamsons "Oet-liich-yuick Wallingi'ord" Co. He and Jlrs. Uarke'occupied 'the front room on the the floor is on'the western side, and two opting from the floor on ;to a small balcony. ■ This room is surrounded on threo sides by corridor's. The main corridor of the Moor on the .western ;side, ,and two others, 1 which lead to glazed doorways, sliding .opening oil to the bal-' oony already mentioned. During the night olio of theso doorways was. open, and both windows of the bedroom were also raised. Tho Venetian blinds werei lowered; but between them and tho floor was a;clear spt.ee of aboulj two feet. Ob-' viously, tile entrance 1 to this room- was simply .obtained, as there iras ample .rocm for a man to creep under either of the blinds without. Tattling it, 1 ; and his movements in the room were no doubt silenced by the heavy -carpet. II; was here, according to a statement rnudei to "a "Herald" reporter by Mr. Clittke, that the burglar secured >£517 in cash; and overlooked jewellery valued by its owners at £3000. Tho neighbouring room, was occupied by Mr. Clarke's niece, Miss Grace, Zaring, but her' jewellery was not touched., Room Ransacked. . , Mr. Hall, who is private secretary to the Minister for Customs, placed his sovereign case, containing .£B, in I'llV pocket' of'his pyjamas, suit, and, it wfis safe-in'- the morning. His, room was faiiaicked from ond to end. Several' sui|w wore taken from tho ivardrobo and scattered ,on .the floor, but nothing was secured, from, theni.! Tho burglar appropriated j his watch and ' chain, together; with a mounted quartz pendant, whicli was liung from his vest, which was lying at tho bedside. Ho also took away some correspondence and 1 other papers, among ..th?m tho diary, in which Mr. Ilall had ; notes . of the' Minister's engagements f(ir some days ahead. The only person who • was in any way. disturbed wafl Mrs. Dadlej l . : She awaken-: ed about 3'.30 a.m., and noticed the door of her room open. She got up and closed it, and it wcis not until this 'morning, that she discovcVtcl "the 1 . los4 ' 'df ' her jewellery. ■; ' Mi'. Smith was robbed'of a£s note nnd' a' si earner ticket., 1. Tho exact amount of ilr. Russell's loss is not known, as lie left Auckland early this morning, but it is believed lie was roblied of about' ,£lO. , ■ "• Tho methods, on which tho burglar worked are a: lhatter of conjocture t for no clue has been i discovered that >nll givo any indication of the man's- identity; Apparently he' commenced. on tho first floor ofthe hotel,visiting five rioms, and concluded" his visit with a rich find in Mr. Clarke's ' room,. It seems reasonable to supposo thai'the burglarhad sont-3 knowledge of tho hjit'ol, so that he was able to select. ,a 'favourable:- .opportunity for the! execution of lii.s design. Inquiries art) being made by Detectives Hammond and"Cummings! 1 .