THE LATE GOLD ROBBERY. AT CLYDE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 437, 2 September 1870, Page 3

THE LATE GOLD ROBBERY. AT CLYDE.

FURTHER EXAMINATION. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court at "Clyde, on Friday last, the 20th ultimo, before Vincent Pyke, Esq,, R.M., and -Jean D. Feraud, Esq., J.P., Malcolm M'Leunan was again brought up, charged With having, at Clyde, on the morning of the Ist of August last, stolen one bag, containing two hundred ounces of gold" and ■one parcel, containing bank notes valued at £1,070. [ln our report of the first day’s proceedings a word was oraitte 1. Rennie is represented to have said, in reference to the letter left for him by M'Lennau at the Half-way Home Hotel : “ Not being able to read, I came down to Clyde.” The sentence should have roa I: “Not being able to read it, I came down to Clyde.”] E. de B. Campbell, sworn, deposed : Am Clerk in the Bulk of New South Wales, Clyde On Saturday, the 30th of July, I made up two parcels of notes, value £2,00!) ■and £S2S (I think) respectively. The parcels produced 1 recognise as the same by the seal and address on each. On the same afternoon Mr. Christophers, the arent of of the bank, made up two bags of gold. The notes and gold were then placed in the safe. On Sunday, the 31st, I took the gold and notes out of the safe, an ! conveyed them to the camp, for transmission to "Dunedin by escort. 1 handed them to Mr. Inspector Dalgleish, who gave me a receipt for the same. The gold weighed three hundred and fifty ounces. Samuel Meade Dalgleish, sworn ; I am Inspector of Police, stationed at Clyde. It was part of my duty to escort the gold and treasure from Clyde to Dunedin On Sunday, the 31st of July, I received from Mr. H. C. Jones, agent for the Bank of New Zealand, two parcels and two hags, said to contain notes and gold. The parcel of notes produced an i the empty bag I believe were handed to me. The bag was said to contain two hundred ounces of gold. I al o receiveil from Mr. Campbell two parcels of notes and two bags of gol I. I gave receipts. The whole of the treasure received was placed in the lock-up at about halfpast throe o’clock p.ra. 1 had it all packed up in gold boxes, which were screwed down and sealed. 1 was assisted by Sergeant Neil and the prisoner. While the boxes were being screwed down I had to tell M'Lellan to tighten the screws, which he apparently did. The packing took place in the office, from whence the treasure (contained in four boxes) was removed to the lock-up by Sergeant Neil and Constables Gantley, Morkane, and prisoner, and placed in the cell where they were usually kept. Sergeant Neil locked the cell, and handed mo the key. The outer door was fastened by Gantley, who kept the key for about an hour, during which time I was engage 1 in clerical work connected with the escort. On the morning of the Ist of August, at a'>out twenty minutes before six o’clock, from information I received, 1 went to the cell, which I found had been broken into, and two of the boxes of treasure abstracted. Those boxes contained the gold and notes produced. I found the plate of the inner door had been partly removed and that the door was open. The prisoner was standing by the outside door of the loek-up when I arrived. I Lad the two remaining boxes conveyed to the Bank of New South Wales. On my return to the Camp 1 saw marks upon the wall, apparently made by passing the gold boxes over it. About 1 p.m. the same day Sergeant Neil drew my attention to the gol 1 boxes, which were lying in a water-hole. Prisoner has been in my police district since January last. In May last I granted him leave of absence to go to the Arrow. He left on the morning of the 13 th and returned on the evening of the 15th. On the 4th of June prisoner left C yde for Queenstown, returning on the 1 18th of the same month The escort from Queenstown arrived at Clyde on the 3rd of

July. I saw the prisoner that evening, and 1 instructed the Sergeant to place a over the look-up that night. I produce the bolt-plate of the inner door of the look-up. It remained on the door-post, attached by one screw, until the 17th of August, when it was removed in my presence. I notice I that nearly all the worm of the screw had been cut off, and there was a slight difficulty in drawing it. By the prisoner : Sergeant Neil might have screwed up one of the boxes. Patrick Gant ley, sworn ; I am goaler at Clyde Police Camp. Remember prisoner going to the Arrow on leave Some time afterwards he showed me some notes, which lie said were a dividend he had received from a share he owned at the Arrow. On Sunday, the 31st of July 1 assisted to carry the gold boxes from the office to the lockup Prisoner was present. I handed the four boxes into the cell, one by one. Sergeant Neil then locked the inner door as usual. I locked Hie outer door- the key of which f kept for about two hours, when I handed it to Mr. Dalgleish. Was in prisoner’s company from the time the gold was placed in the cell until about nine o’clock in the evening, when he said he would take a run down town. 1 remarked that he had better not -lo so, as the sergeant was away, and that if the officer in charge saw him he would be angry. Prisoner was quiet for some time, when he jumped up and said, “‘I will go down the town.” Sergeant Neil returned while he was away. Prisoner was absent about half an hour. When I next saw him he was standing at the office door, with the sergeant,. About twelve o’clock I went to bo 1. About halfpast twelve prisoner came to my door, and asked if I was asleep. I told him 1 was not. He requested me to call him in the morning, 1 got up about halfpast four and called the prisoner. An hour later I saw Sergeant Neil, who ordered me to get the keys of the lock-up. Shortly afterwards I saw prisoner, who said the gold had been stolen. About ten days afterwards prisoner came to my house to pay a bill. Ho said he had no money, hut he was going to Dunedin, and would send it up to me. I told the prisoner that the police had heard of a man lying on the Gentle Annie track, in the speargrass, on the morning of the robbery. Prisoner asked me if they knew the man, and I replie 1 that I thought not. He repeated the question. By the prisoner : The money you showed mo was not in a letter. Cannot say whether it was a mail night. Was in the stable the night before the robbery, with Sergeant Neil’s horse. Was not there more than twenty minutes. When I came back, you were standing at the door of the office. It was about half an hour from the time you left the Camp until you returned. Edmon 1 Cra'ibs Elliott, sworn ; I am a publican, and. keep the Half-way House Hotel, on the Clyde and Cromwell road. On a Sunday evening, some time in May about dusk, prisoner and Rennie calle i at my house. Prisoner was sober, but Rennie was drunk. Prisoner partook of drink, and also of bread and cheese. I cannot say if | Rennie did. After staying about a quarter of an hour Rennie appeared sick and sleepy, and I showed him to his bed room. Prisoner accompanied him, and I left them. In about ten minutes prisoner came out and asked for writing material, with which ho returned to the lied room. When prisoner was going away I asked who the party was he had put to bed. He replied that he did u t know him, but believed he was a storekeeper at the Cardrona. I then asked the prisoner his naiu’. He said he had left a note on the table in the man’s room, which he would find in the morning. Prisoner rode away in the direction of Clyde. Both men were strangers to me. On the following morning Rennie left my house, and returned about three hours afterwards James Holt, sworn : I am the proprietor of the Oly e Coal-pit. I supply the Police Camp with coal. The prisoner was in the habit of fetching coal. The screw-wrench produced is ray property. I missed it from my coal-pit on the sth of June. The last time the police took coal from my pit before I missed the wrencli was on the Ist of June. 1 believe the prisoner came for them Benjamin Naylor, sworn, deposed : Am a storekeeper residing at Clyde. I know the prisoner, ami recollect him purchasing at my store, either on the night of the 23rd or 30th of July last, some choose and a bottle, I believe of porter. I had Blood’s and Berwick’s porters iu stock at the time. By the Prisoner : You paid me iu silver. I am not certain it was porter ; you bought a bottle of something. Henry Conway Jones, sworn ; On Sunday, July 31, I handol to Inspector Dalgleish four bags of gold and four bundles of notes, and procured receipts for them. Empty bag produced I recognise as one in which I put gold on Saturday evening previous. When I handed it to Mr. Dalgleish for transmission by Escort to Dunedin, it contained two hundred ounces of gold. The parcel of notes produced I have not the slightest doubt is one I handed to Mr. Dalglie.sh, and should contain £1,070. I have a record of the numbers of the notes. Michael Hunt, sworn ; Am a Police Constable, statione I at the Arrow, and know the prisoner. I first saw him at the Arrow on the 13th of May in company with George Rennie, who introduced him to mo as his shipmate, Constable M’Lennan. I next saw him on the night of the 14th, in Rennie’s company- I again saw them on Sunday morning, the 15th, at the Police Camp. Arrow, when prisoner .said he was about returning to his station. Rennie then said ho wasgoingtoaccompanyprisoner part of the way to Clyde. On the sth of June I again saw prisoner at the Arrow, when ho reported himself as going to Queenstown, on temporary duty. Rennie and I accompanied him there, On the 17th

of Juno I again saw him as ho was returning to Clyde. He stayed at the Arrow that night. About twelve o'clock I heard prisoner aay to R ainie th y should build a dredge. Ho likewise said he should not remain in the Police Force long, bat would try digging, I have never known of prisoner having a raining claim at the Arrow. By the Prisoner : It was not when we were crossing the Shotover Bridge you spoke about building a dredge, it was in Rennie’s shop. Thomas Meredith Smith, sworn : Am a Police Constable stationed at Clyde. On Sunday, August 14, in company with Constable Hun and George Rennie, 1 searched the ground near the Ten-mile Shanty, on the Gentle Annie Track. I saw Constable Hunt find a gold-bag (produced). I found a bundle of bank notes. Rennie directed me to a bag conceided between two' large stones. I opene lit and found it to contain gold. It was weighed in my presence and found to contain one hundred and ninetyeight ounces sixteen pennyweights. I also in company with Rennie and others, found, near Cly 'c, nine bag of gold and four bundles of notes The Commissioner of Police took charge of the whole of the treasure. On (Monday, the Isth, I found a corn sack which had been used as saddlebags. It was contiguous to where the last mentioned gold and notes were discovered. On the 17th, from information I received from Rennie, I found an empty porter bottle (produced). On the 17th, from further information given by Eenne, I and Dotectie Farrell made another search. Farrell found the screw-wrench (produced). On Monday last I pointed out to Mr. Surveyor Arthur different spots and localities about the Clyde Camp. By the prisoner; 1 did produce the porter bottle when Rennie was giving his evidence. James Farrel sworn; Am a detective police officer, at present statione 1 nt Clyde. On August 7, under instructions from Inspector Percy, I and others made a general search of Hie different buildings connected with the Clyde Camp, including the room occupied by the prisoner. He un. locked his regulation box. In that I found a screw«lriver (produced) After the search was over the prisoner remarked to me. I suppose I amiu a row now, thescrew-driver being found in my box. I replied. That does got amount to anything ii nothing else is found. On Monday the 15th., I arrested the prisoner at Nasoby. I told him he was charged with aiding one George Rennie with breaking into the Clyde Lock-up, and stealing gold and bank notes to the value of £14,000. Prisoner remarked, he knew nothing whatever about it On Thursday, the 18th., Constable Smith pointed out to me the place where five bags of gdd had been planted by Rennie,and within about twenty yards of the spot, 1 found thoscrewwreneh (produced) By the prisoner; I am not awarethcscrew driver I found in your box is a regulation one. I have been twenty-four years in the police force and never saw one served out. Prisoner said, yon will find it the case, as Constable Carrol has one like it. The prisoner was committed for trial at the ensuing assizes. George Rennie, charged with the same offence as the I rmer prisoner, was placed in the dock for examination. The .evidence of Mr. Henry Conway Jones, Mr. E. do B. Campbell, and Mr. Samuel Meade Dalglicsh wore the same as in the previous case, therefore, we do not think it necessary to report it. The evidence of the next witness, Constable Hunt, proved the arrest of the prisoner, and was a narration of the journey from the Arrow to Cromwell. The evidence of Constable Smith, who arrested the prisoner, concluded the rase. The following is a brief summary : At about two o’clock p.m. on the 13th of August 1 went into Rennie’s shop, at Arrowtown. and asked him if he thought the two wax-ends I had in my hand were made by one man. Ho replied, I should say so. I then told one was made by himself, and said, Are you still of the same opinion ? He replied, I might have made a mistake. Prisoner said ho had heard of the Clyde gold robbery, but know nothing about it. I then told him that as I strongly suspected him he had better give evidence. I then searched his place, during which time he gave an explanation of where he was on the 31st of July and the Ist of August. On the following morning, about one o’clock, I again saw him, and informed him that I had been given to understand that the statement he had made respecting his whereabouts was false, and that I intended arresting him for the robbery. I cautioned him, and told him not to expect either a pardon or the reward, as he had refused the offer in the afternoon before. He was then locked up About eleven o’clock a.m., the prisoner having confessed his comp icity with the robbery, I said, Come and shew us whore the gold is ? Ho replied, Yes, hold hard a-bit. I said, Are you making the confession thinking of getting the pardon and reward ? you must remember what I told you. Prisoner said, Well, I suppose so. Prisoner then said A’here the gold was, and explained the manner in which he had performed the robbery, after which ho said, I declare to God there is no one concerned in the robbery but myself. I then accompanied the prisoner to Clyde, and during the journey found the gold and bank notes as planted by him. The prisoner was then committed for trial at the ensuing Sessions. There is no virtue which is more pleasing than gratitude. To see that kindness is not thrown away, that some return, however small, is made by the recipient, renders us more ready to do a person a service another time; while ingratitude is one of the most frequent originators of hasv) heartednesa and eelnshne**,

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