THE CAPTURE OF CYRUS HALEY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1116, 24 February 1872, Page 3

THE CAPTURE OF CYRUS HALEY.

The following are the particulars of the capture of Cyrus Haley, the man suspected of firing through the windown of Mr Russell's house at Auckland, and of subsequently setting fire to the same gentleman's stack-yard : — The men who had been set to watch the premises were suddenly startled by a glare of fire, and looking in the direction of the stacks saw them all three in a blaze. An alarm was at once raised and a search made, but no trace could be found of the incendiary. The Inspector of Police, Mr Broham, was at once aroused, and was soon ready with a number of constables to take the road. The Inspector proceeded along the Mount Eden . Road, intending to go by the mountain. It was at this time Tory misty, in consequence of a drizzling rain, and nothing could be distinguished at a short distance. As the Inspector was passing along the road leading to the gaol, he observed some one coming from the opposite direction. He at once reined in his horse, when the man leapt the fence hear Mr Mean' property, ana bounded away among the scrub. 1 The Inspector immediately dismounted, hitched his horse-rein over the fence, and followed swiftly in pursuit. The fugitive gained the open, and ran as though for his very life ; but the Inspector, it seems, gained upon him. He tried hard to escape.* He pulled off his coat, and threw it on the ground. So did the Inspector. At last, finding he was fairly overcome in point of speed, he drew a revolver, and turned to present it. The tnrn proved an unlucky one for him at least, for his foot caught in a stone and he rolled over, dropping the pistol in hit fall. Inspector Broham at once grappled with him, and they had a desperate struggle on the sward. In his own defence thelnspector was obliged to use his riding whip, which he used pretty freely about the head of his opponent. At this time the rain ceased, and the moon coming out disclosed to the Inspector the face of Mr Cyrus Haley, the speculator in shares, and lately proprietor of the Exchange Reading-rooms, which were so mysteriously burnt down a few months ago. Haley found he was unable to cope with the well-trained Inspector of Police, and after a few blows from the riding whip, he gave in, < saying, " Take me, Mr Broham ; I surrender." He was at once secured. He then said, " Ah ! no doubt you think you have done a very fine thing —5a very fine tiling it will be for you" — or words to that effect. In answer to a remark-about Mr Russell's stacks, he replied, " Yon would have done as much if it had been you." He was then removed to the station. The pistol dropped by Haley was afterwards picked up by the police, bnt it was minus the chamber, which was afterwards found. Haley was removed to the lock-up, bleeding profusely from the cuts on the forehead. Dr. Mark* E. B. Nicholson was sent for to attend his wounds. While doing so the doctor asked' him what he had been doing on the Onehunga road. The reply was, " You'd have had your whack if yon had

been there. There are £fty of us, and I'm captain of the band." >y ; hen speaking of the police, he said, ".Ah, they are very strong, but! have something that will crush them." He made several,other remarks bordering on insanity, but the doctor does hot give any opinion as io whether it was real or ■ affected insanity. He was brought np at tho Resident \f agi> trate's Court and remanded.