SAFE BREAKING.

Grey River Argus, 21 February 1927, Page 2

SAFE BREAKING.

SERIES OF CHARGES. Windsor Brothers. SENT PALMERSTON N., Feb. 19. The hearing of evidence in the safeblowing and other charges against Albert George Windsor, Frederick Joseph Windsor, and Lawrence Egmont Windsor, concluded at the Police Court this morning. It was alleged that the accused on January 31st broke and entered the railway office at Levin, and stole cheques and money to the value of £122. The evidence showed that the explosion was so severe that a hole was torn in the ceiling of the office. When Albert Windsor was searched by Detective Hart at Wellington, two torn one pound notes were found in his posses* sion, a police officer stating that both were lightly covered with a white powder, which he was confident was gelignite. Acting Detictive Robinson said a search of Lawrence Windsor revealed that he had bent, discoloured coins in his possession to the amount of ten shilling and sixpence. The accused pleaded not guilty and were committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Palmerston North. The accused were then charged with breaking and entering the Pahiat.ua Railway Station on the same day, and stealing cheques and money of a value of twenty pounds. They pleaded not guilty and were committed for trial. At the hearing of the charge against the three accused of breaking and entering the premises of the Otaki Dairy Co. on January 31, and stealing therefrom stamps of the value of £l, the most sensational feature of the case was the statement made by one of the accused, and tendered as evidence for the prosecution, in which he is alleged to have made admissions relative to several crimes committed in the district surrounding Manukau. Amongst the exhibits set out in the Court were a black mask, toy revolver, electric torches and gelignite, which were recovered by the police constables, who related how they had watched Albert and George Windsor walking along the railway line at Manukau on February 4, and had seen them concealing a parcel and tin containing the above-mentioned articles, and a tin amongst the ferns at the back of a certain house. Both brothers subsequently disappeared.

“1 wish to tell the truth about the safe at Levin being blown up,” stated Albert Windsor, in the opening paragraph of a sensational statement produced by the police. “I have a house at Manukau, and about 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 30, my two brothers asked me, my wife, sister and mother to go in my motor car to Levin to look for a house. 1 did so, arriving at Levin at 10.40. Aly brothers asked me to pull up at the Post Office. They got out of the car at this point, and told me they were going to blow the safe of the railway station. They asked me to stay in the car with the women and keep the engine running in order to be ready to get away When the job was done. I advised them not to do it, but they went away.”

Continuing, he said that he heard an explosion a few minutes later. Tht*y then journeyed to Linton and from there proceeded to Otaki, where they jiulled up in front of the dairy factory. The brothers asked him to stand by the car while they burst open the door. They were away about ten min-

From Otaki, the statement continued, they went to Manukau to hide what they had got, with their pockets bulging with the stuff. The same day they left Manukau again for Pahiatua, arriving there at 8.30 p.m. At one in the morning he pulled up the car at the Pahiatua Railway Station, whore his two brothers got out on the pretext of using the conveniences. A few minutes later he heard a terrific explosion. and when his brothers returned they informed him they had blown the safe. They had the cash-box with them and also twisted silver and torn notes. After telling them that they would have to stop safe-blowing, they proceeded back to Manukau.

'Io counsel for the accused, a detective who produced the statement, stated that the statement was the result of accused’s wife calling upon him, and saying that her husband wished to con

fess. All three were committed to the Su preme Court for trial.