A MAIL COACH ROBBERY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 3 September 1901, Page 3

A MAIL COACH ROBBERY.

The Robber made a Big Haul.

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Sydney, September 2. Another sensational sticking-up case has occurred. Tne mail coach, from Whitecliffs, the centre of the opal mining district, to Wilcannia, while making the night journey, drew up at a gate, and a passenger (Eanter) jumped down and opened it. A masked robber stepped out and fired a revolver, wounding Eanter in the forearm, and ordered three other passengers to stand against the fence while he secured the mail bags. He warned the driver that if he attempted to return to the Cliffs he would be shot. The bags contained a quantity of valuables, including packages of opals. In the hurry the robber overlooked several valuable parcels of opal in the boot of the coach. The police discovered many opened letters add a number of crossed cheques. There were marks of a bicycle in the vicinity of the robbery. The coach robber made the driver hand over a knife which he used in opening the letters, pocketing the valuables promiscuously, occupying over an hour, during which a cyclist rode up and the robber made him stand with the others till he had finished. He placed the lot in an empty mail bag and rode away on his bicycle.

Beceived this day at 9 30 a m. The mail robber made a rich haul. The exact amount is not known but is estimated at from nine to fourteen hundred pounds in notes and five hundred opals. The loot included three parcels of opals.

There is no banks at White Cliffs which necessitates forwarding large amounts by post. An attempt was made to rob the mail some time ago bat failed. The robber allowed the passengers to go scot free. One of them carried a large sum.

Banter, after being shot, expecting to be overhauled, hang a bag containing £2O on the horses hames, and it remained there unnoticed.