MARLBOROUGH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 271, 29 May 1865, Page 2

MARLBOROUGH.

THE LATE BANK ROBBERY AT PICTON.

The following remarkable narrative, which, if true, tends to fix the.guilt of the theft on the late prisoner, Murdock, novr acquitted, is copied from the Marlborough Press, of 16th inst:— A discover has been made within the last few days which, it is believed, is likely to throw some light on the circumstances attending the late robbery of bank notes at 'the Picton branch of the Bank of New Zealand, and for which Mr. Murdock is now standing his trial at Nelson. It appears that a prisoner who was lately released from the Picton Gaol from the expiration of his sentence, presented last week a £2O note at one of the business houses at Havelock for change. The doubtful appearance of the man and the character of the note, which had evidently been torn in pieces and pasted together again on a ground of stiff paper, excited the suspicion of the shopkeeper, and he took such steps as led to his being taken into custody. On enquiry being instituted the man confessed that he had lately left goal, and that and another £2O note had been given him by Mr. Murdock, Mr, Cawte, the head gaoler, on receiving information of the 'occurrence, made arrangements to start ■ overland for Nelson the following morning to place the facts-of the discovery before the Crown law- officers. We do not quite eee how the discovery of two notes found in the possession of a notorious offender will strengthen the evidence against Murdock, hut there can be no doubt that if Murdoch did possess these notes and had tom them in pieces and afterwards pasted them together again, and subsequently gave them away for some specific object, it will naturally excite strong suspicions against the unhappy young man.