BURGLARY AT ROSELAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 415, 15 May 1902, Page 2

BURGLARY AT ROSELAND.

THE SAFE CARRIED OFF FROM THE HOTEL.

OYER £SO IX CASH TAKEN

A sensation was caused in town yesterday morning, when people were informed through a notice on t.ie Times window that a burglary had occurred at Messrs Currie and Hogan s Roseland Hotel, Makaraka. The d.scovery was made by Mr Frank Judge, employed at the hotel, and a mem'er of the Times staff on his way out delivering copies of the morning journal.

A representative of the Times visited tlie scene early yesterday morni.tg. The robbery had evidently taken place between midnight and daylight. A high north-westerly wind was blowing during the night, and a more suitable time could hardly have been chosen. 'Pile hotel was closed at ten o’clock, and soon after that the proprietors were snug in bed. No travellers presented themselves after 1U p.m. The past week had been very quiet in the way of business, and although there was a well-attended performance u town on Tuesday night it made practically no difference to tiie hotel, the night being a very dull one. There was no indication or premonition of what was about to happen. Ail the inmates had retired to rest about 10. Tho wild wind whistled through, the trees, and it was such a night that loud noises might have been male without their being heard above the roar of the wind. The work of carrying off tlie safe was comparatively easy for two ...en, and it is practically certain that more than one was engaged in the robbery. An iron wrenoii had been obtained from about one of the blacksmith's shops opposite, and with that implement apparently the door of tlie cellar had been prized open, and then an easy entrance was made to the bar, where the safe was standing. The cellar doors, whim face the Matawhero road, have double holts. One door had evidently Deen first tried unsuccessfully, and then the other door was forced open. There would be no difficulty about that. A couple of sacks were made iFe of, probably to deaden the sound. On getthg up through tlie trap door to the bar, tlie burglars had dragged the safe to the. bar parlor adjoining, and then out by the side door to the street, near the public water trough. The door of the cellar had been left open—it couid not well he shut from the inside—and the outer door of tlie hotel was also left open ; the inner door having a spring would close of itself. Evidently the burglars thought the main thing was to get their work done smartly. Having got into the bar it was easy enough to unlock tlie doors from tlie inside. A novel lantern had been made use or. It was a 74b square-qomered tin used for Colman’s mus -ard, with a lid attached. A hole had been cut in the tin, and therein was placed a small piece of candle. It had evidently not been much used, as tlie rounded-off top had barely been burnt away. The opening of the tin was narrow, so that a light could easily he concealed in the event of an alarm being given. Tlie tin was left outside, as also was an old sack. Tlie wrench was left behind as well as a chisel that nad been bent at the end. A billet o. wood, used as a mallet, had been brought up from the cellar ; but ‘it was not apparent what- tlie object in handling it was, unless for use as a weapon in tlie event of the burglars being disturbed in their iperations. Tlie burglars were apparently of temperate habits, for they had not touched any liquor. There were traces ff wheels from the side door, but as there were so many wheel tracks it is not likely that any clue can be obtained in that way, L „ People who rode past the house at midnight saw nothing to attract their attention, though they waited to. give their horses water at tlie trough. The burglars were not strangers to

the place, but it would have been easy to obtain the knowledge necessary for their purpose. Tlie safe, winch weighed about 2 cwt., stood at a partly closed off space at tlie end of the bar counter. Anyone of an observant nature could locate the safe, or withoutattracting notice could see where it stood and form a fairly accurate estimate of tlie weight. The safe was one that Messrs Currie and Hogan had had for many years, having obtained it from Auckland’; they are not aware of the maker, it was about two feet in height, and tlie width of tlie place where it stood beneath tlie desk was about oi feet. Mr Frank Judge was the first up in the house. He was out snortly before six, and set about his work in the ordinary way. Before half-past six, Mr Wyllie brought the copies of the Times along, and Mr .Judge went out to get papers i'or tlie hotel. Going to the front of the hotel t'aciug the Ormond road, lie noticed that one oi the doors of tlie cellar was open. An examination showed that die door had been wrenched open. Mr J udge then went upstairs and informed Mr Hogan —who. came down to look nto tilings. “ Heavens, the safe is gone !” tie exclaimed on entering the bar, and further examination showed ihat burglars had entered the hotel from the cellar door-way, and had dragged tlie sale out by tlie side door. Then it was probably carried oil in a venicle. The proprietors have no suspicion as to wuo tne thieves may Ixn “f or the fifteen years we have been here, ’ said Mr Currie, “ we have never had anything stolen, either in liquor or money, just now is the quiet season, and there are few,, people about One can hear traps passing to and iro at all hours of the night, -o that even if a vehicle were heard about it would not be finely to attract special notice. Ihe wind was roaring so loudly last night that there might be a good deal oi noise that would not be heard; Tlie amount' of cash in the safe is not known, but it is believed to have been over £SO, while there was a large sum in cheques, payment of which has oeea stopped.

Sergeant Siddeils returned by the steamer yesterday morning, and with Detective- Nixon was early on tne scene of the robbery, making investigations. So far the burglars have eluded suspicion, and there is no clue. 111 reply to a question as to why there was so much money in tlie safe during a dull season, Mr Currie said that it was always found convenient to have a substantial sum 111 hand for tlie giving of change. In any case, said Mr Currie, there did not appear any need to bank except as it suited their convenience, as hitherto there nad been nothing to arouse suspicion of a robbery being contemplated.