THE MELBOURNE BANK ROBBERY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1118, 5 October 1883, Page 3

THE MELBOURNE BANK ROBBERY.

There was considerah'e excitement in v elhou no on the morning of the 10th Sentpinber, when it became known that tho ('ommercial Bank bad been robbed of gold to the value of 1.4500, .and a - c naideralde quantity of notea. On the preceding evening Mr Pinnock, manager of the branch at Ballarat, arrived by the last train to Melbourne, bringing w :i h him sixteen bars of gold, weighing 1077 z., and a bundle of mutilated notes, th“ -imposed amount of them being about I 12 ;l 0, 'the gold was placed in the safe, and Mr Pinnock took the key. On Wednesday morning on opening ♦he safe with a view to the gold being eon. veyed to the mint, only two bars were found. The detectives were communicated with and took charge of the case, hut the proceedings were for some time enveloped in myateiy. On Sunday, however, the police succeeded in apprehending Richard Henry Pc bett. eldest son of the caretaker of the bank. It was found that Corbett, who was assisting Ids father in the bank in 18SI when a robbery of 1000 sovereigns was committed, and who was suspected at the time of complicity, was nowhere to he discovered. After a search extending over several days, information was obtained through which the detectives arrested him at Meagher’s Hotel. Sandridgeroad. He at first dened his guilt, but when searched three of the stolen bars were found in his pocket. A loaded revolver and a swordstick were found in his room, showing that he was determined to resist capture. The prisoner finally confessed to the robherv, and stated that he had had duplicate keys in his possession for the past twelve months, and that he inten led to commit the robbery on the first f ivonraMe opportunity. He stated also that he had planted the gold n°ar St. Kildaroad, and he offered to show the spot. On going to the place no trace of the bullion was found, and there were no footmarks. It was evident that tho prisoner’s object was to attempt escape, so he was removed to the City Watch house. He was charged wi hj the robbery and remanded fora week. On Monday at the earnest persuasion of his family the accused disclosed the whereabouts of the remainder of the gold, and the detective’, acting on this infoiimtion, discovered the whole of the stolen property Part of it was concealed behind an iron shutter in the banking chamber, and the other portion was bnriet in the ground at Moialialloo, a few miles out of town. Great satisfaction was felt, and the bank officials are jubilant at the prompt capture, as remoivng doubts reding on innocent per sons After this robbery in 18S1 the prisoner started business as a bookmaker, alleging that he had won LlflOfi in Miller’s sweep, but there is little doubt that he committed that robherv also.