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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume VI, Issue 139, 20 April 1854, Page 2

The following account relative to an assault and robbery is taken from one of the Sydney papers. The party robbed "is one Jim Fairburn a native of New Zealand," whom our readers will remember left Auckland lor Sydney some months ago. James Fairburn was well known here as an honest and industrious man; lie hail charge

of ilic Government punt on Hie Tnniaki river, and Sir George Grey allowed him to locale upon a valuable reserve near the landing, which lie extensively cultivated in conjunction with a few of his Mauri friends. We do not know the reason why James Fairburn abandoned his comfortable homestead ; but from personal knowledge of his character, we were hoping that he would conduct himself with propriety wherever his lot should be cast. We deeply regret to fiud that we were mistaken, for it appears that he is not only capable offrcqticuting those haunls of vice, the public houses, but of associating with the vicious in those places at unseasonable hours. Our remarks no doubt will meet the eye of James Fairburn ; and wc trust (hat they will not be altogether lost upon him. Assault and RonnEnv.—Thomas Hogan, alias O'Dricn, John Cassidy, John Scanlon, James M'Carihy, James Denny, and Francis Cavanagh, remanded from Saturday last were placed in the dock for final cxnminntior, on a charge of having assaulted and robbed one Jim Fuirburn, a native of New Zealand, on Friday night Inst, the 19th instant, The prisoners were apprehended by Inspector Garvin, about half-past M oclock on the night in question, immediately after he had received information of the outrage. Nothing was found on the prisioncrswhensearchcd at the Watch House to implicole them with the robbery, but subsequently Inspector Garvin searched the premises where the) defendants Hogan, alias O'livkw, and Cassidy lodged, and in the shingles of an out house found a clasp purse or portmonnaio which was identified by the prosecutor as part of the property that had been stolen from him. Jim Fairburn, the prosecutor, deposed, that on Friday night las the was drinking in a public-house, in Clarence-street, where be saw the defendant Hogan whom he identified; the prosecutor left the public house. a little after i I o'clock, and immediately after was attacked by six men, two of whom held him, two held their hands upon his mouth, which prevented him from crying-out, while two others robbed him of a "portmonaic containing .€ls in gold and silver. Having effected their object the robbers separated and ran off in different directions; the prosecutor gave immediate information to Inspector Garvin, who soon after arrested the six defendants on suspicion. The prosecutor could only identify the prisoner Hogan, whom ho was positive he had seen in the public-house, and whom he likewise identified as one of the six who attacked and robbed him ; the other defendants he could not identify. Edward Connolly deposed that on the night of the robbery ho was standing at the corner of the Market-street, when he beared a noise which attracted his attention. On looking around he saw a man running away, and a New Zealandcr, the prosecutor, having hold of the man by the coat; the man made his escape into Mrs. Cash's house in Clarence-street, and shut the door; the person that ran away was the prisoner Cassidy (identified by the witness). Witness identified the defendant Hogan as having boon close to the spot where the robbery was committed a few minutes prior to his hearing the noise. Witness likewise pointed out the defendant Cavanagh as having been standing at the corner at the same time; the other defendants he knew nothing about. This was the principal evidence against the prisoners. On the conclusion of thecxaminution of the witnesses the llench ordered the four defeir.l.nts, Scanlon. M'Carihy, Denny, and Cavanagh, to bo discharged, as there was not sufficient evidence against them. The two remaining prisoners Thomas Hogan «/i«* O'Hrien and John Cassidy, were then committed to take their trial at the next Criminal Court.