THE CAPTURE OF RICHARD HART.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2160, 27 January 1881, Page 3

THE CAPTURE OF RICHARD HART.

[By Tbx,kobaph.J AUCKLAND, January 26. The Melbourne “ Age ” Bays, referring to the capture of Steve Hart’s brother:—No little commotion was caused in Eehuoa on Friday by the rumor that the troopers had been sent for and were on the way to that place to go in pursuit of Steve Hart’s brother, who had committed a bold highway robbery near Sandhurst on Saturday last. It will bo remembered on that evening that a young man, armed with a revolver, stuck up a Chinaman at Knowsley, twelve miles from Heathcote, and robbed him of £5 in cash and a watch and chain. The Chinaman was returning with his cart from Sandhurst, where he had been delivering vegetables at the market. Prior to this the same man had ridden through the parish of Foolleen, situated about twenty miles from Heathcote on the main Murray and Melbourne road, and there called out that he was “ Stove Hart’s brother and would let tbo people of Heathcote know so before night.” The young man in question was believed to be one John Smith, but it now turns out that ho is Richard Hart, a brother of a member of the Kelly gang of.

bushrangers, and was in the act of returning from Greta to Ferrick across country when he showed himself at Knowsle-y and Foolleen. Since the outrage at the former locality the police have been on the alert, for it was believed that the highway robber intended to visit Ferrick to see o young man named Richard Hart, who was staying with Mr Cunningham ®f that place. Acting upon information which had been received the troopers from Eohuca, Gumborrer, Ferrick, Elmore, and Rochester, have cons( quently been on the alert, and the plains to West Eohuca have been well patrolled during the past week. On Friday night information was obtained that a wanted man was making down through Torrnmbarry to the Murray at Perriooota, where it was believed he intended to cross into Now South Wales, and escape. The information proved correct, and all the available police Were sent out in pursuit by Sergeant Hayes of Eohuca. Amongst these was foot constable Thomas Oorkhill, who was sent out in plain clothes. He obtained a clue at Torrnmbarry on Friday and followed it up. On Saturday morning he learnt that his man had crossed the Murray at Thomson’s, Perriooota. At 8 a.m. that day he came up with his quarry, about two miles from Perriooota station, and there captured him. Constable Corkhill swam his horse across the Murray, and found Hart tramping in on easterly direction. Hart said he was going up country, but it is believed that he was making either for Deniliquin Railway or for Greta. When arrested, Hart admitted that he had stuck up a Chinaman, but said he had only robbed him of £3. Ho |was unarmed when captured, and accounted for the disappearance of his revolver by saying that he had thrown it into the Oampasae River at Clare Inn, Bornedown. Hart was brought into Eohuca, and placed in the lock-up. Hart is a repulsive looking young man of the bush larrikin type, aged about twenty. He was dressed in dark tweed trousers, cheek shirt, dirty, and slouched black hat with a veil, elastic side boots, and wore a greasy neckerchief. He is sullen and vicious in appearance, has lostseveral teeth, and looks stealthily at an interrogator. Ho states that he was making up country when arrested, and that he crossed into New South Wales because there were too many police about in Victoria,