Capture of the New Plymouth Highwayman.

Manawatu Herald, 22 July 1893, Page 2

Capture of the New Plymouth Highwayman.

The highwayman was caught > on 19th July, about eleven o'clock; sHe bailed up the Criterion Hotel, and presented a pistol ai Mrs Cottier. Inspector Thompson's son Harold, who was in the hotel, kndolw'd^e man down. The highwayman fifed, wounding young Thompson in the side, but not seriously. Assistance being at hand, the man was, Held down on tbe floor till the police arrived. The man's name is \Val lath, and was dressed in volunteer uniform, and had two revolvers loaded. * - Mrs Cottier, in her account of the^-N highwayman affair, says she was standing at the bar talking to Mr Simmonds when the highwayman came in. He presented a revolver •at her, and said, " Bail up." She ! thought it was a joke, smiled and laid " pass on. 1 ' Thought it was a volunteer ia uniform hwißf '•»

lark " Did not feel in the least frightened. He passed on, and she shortly afterwards heard a shot, fired, and called out for help. Someone said " I believe Mrs Cottier is shot." She then went to the staircase and saw the highwayman on the floor, being held down. He appeared to have fainted, and she got some water te revive him. Mr Cottier was in bed at the time, not being very well. Charles Holmes gives the follow ing account of the highwayman affair : — He was at the side bar, and saw the highwayman at the opposite bar. He was dressed in an officer's uniform with a red tunic, and had a mask over his face. The man went up the passage, and Mr Thompson ran to meet him. Holmes followed Thompson, who tackled the highwayman, who fired as soon as Thompson rushed at him, and Holmes went to Thompson's assistance and caught hold of the revolver the highwayman had in his hand. It was a five chambered re Volver, and four of the chambers were loaded and capped when he got hold pf it. He had another revolver in his belt. In the struggle the whole of them felL down, but they held the highwayman till he was handcuffed by the police. The man made a desperate struggle, and had he not been disarmed he might have used the revolver again. Dr O'Carrol states that Thompson, who had a tussel with the highwayman, had a couple of {leaden pellets in him. The wound is a comparatively slight one, but was a very narrow escape. He believes he must have fired at Thompson's heart, but in the struggle the charge glanced off about five inches. There are four distinct cuts in the coat indicating entrance and exit of two pellets. DrO'Carroll examined the prisoner in the lock-up. He showed indications of having been kicked on the right leg or struck with a heavy stick. Prisoner stated to Dr O'Carrol he would have made it hot if it had not been fcr young Thompson, and that there were too many for him. Afterwards prisoner appeared to be perfectly cool, and did not realise his position. Harold Thompson's account of his encounter with the highwayman is that he was at the side bar of the Criterion Hotel, and saw a man in military uniform at the opposite bar, who pointed a revolver at Mrs Cottier. Someone called out, " It's the highwayman," and Mrs Cottier told the man to move on. The highwayman went along tha passage and Thompson ran round the passage to meet him, and the two met at the foot of the staircase. Wallath then fired his revolver hitting Thpmpson in the! left side. Thompson then rushed the man, and seized him by the throat, and a severe struggle ensued; Thompson struck his antagonist, when Charles Holmes came to his assistance, and the man was,; thrown heavily to the floor and held ih'er.e till a constable came and handcuffed him. The man had on an old volunteer coat, white striped serge trousers, patent leather cross belt, with cartouch box, blue serge helmet hat, with a red volunteer feather fastened in a zinc plate, a black goat's hair false beard, and a mask of blue marine Robert Wallath was charged this morning before the Police Court with firing at Mr Harold Thompson with intent thereby to kill and murder him. Inspector Thompson applied for a remand as the man had only been arrested on the previous night. He said, probably, other serious charges would be brought against the accused. Prisoner was remanded till next Friday. No bail was allowed.