DARING ATTEMPT AT BURGLARY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 39, 7 May 1879, Page 2

DARING ATTEMPT AT BURGLARY.

Quite a sensation was created throughout Faimerston. yesterday morning, when it . became known that \ an attempt a£ robbing the Podt-offlce had been maaV the previous night, , Mp: Innes, the postmasteV, and ; Mr. -Rollb, the telegraphist, left the office about the u«ual time— nuu; 9' clock— rafter having carefully put' away everything, and locking the cash-hbx and other valuables m; the safe. MrS ! RolibV like his* predecessor, Mr. Straker.bas a bedroom fitted up m the office, and has been sleeping -there, with the exception of a few evenings, .when he first ■ came, and when he had to provide the necessary furniture: After leaving the office \n ! company, with,. Mr. lnnes,- Mr. Rollq want to spend- the evening at Mrs. Wakefield's, Temperance iHn'teli where he usually dines. 1 ' About half-past ten he wended, his way to the office,' where he savr a light burning; This did not greatly surprise him, however, as he thought Mr. Inties might have forgotten something, antL had.retnr;JDecl. to the office to set it right. On knocking at the front door, Mr; R.IIIO received nb-answei*, so -he fancied it was: time to go - ; rbund the back, where he usually entered; in 'the evening. Qn the way he was > met by a big, hulking fellow, whom he, accosted, and asked/him what b.usmessJhe had had there. ; ; iThe; burglar replied-^-stooping for some .stones as he muttered •the words— that if the former dared to f ollow . him he would .kill him, .or words to that effect,. walking away at the same time, and carefully avoiding [to turn round. Mr. Rollo. followed him up^ how-, ever, and when he got. to Mr. Ferguson's s^ore, he asked that' gentleman and some others.who were" wi'tli him to render.assistarice in' capturing the; robber.- These gentlemen say that Mr. Eollo was so, excited at the time, they did not quite understand him; but however that may be, it seems a great pity that sur-.h a good opportunity of capfcnring the rufßftn was lost, as he was not very many yards ahead at the time. With praiseworthy promptitnde v Mr. Rollo still followed, him up, arid going into Mr 3. WakeiSeld's, and telling them of what had occurred, he was . joined by Messrs. E. Rowe (Mrs. Wakefield's brother), Pcrcival (manager of Mr. London's new dmpewy store) , and Edwards (a carpenter working at tlie new police station) , the tw^ latter gentlemen having immediatelyjnmpefl out of » bed when they heard: of whathad happened. By this. >tma, . as might have been expected, the burglar had m:inogod to seclude himself m souib of hi,s haunts, and the party went back to the Post-office. They then found that an' entry had been made, through, a. window at the rear, where Mr. Rollo sleeps, the blind of which, was cautiously tied m a knot, and the windpw was kept up to admit pi escape. I After making a careful search, tiley c6\ild disooyer. nothing missing, and the party .proceeded to where Constable ; GHHeapie is staying. From the gen eral description given, that officer has n tolerably good idea a« tb who the rabber- is ; but as Mr. Rollp failed. '"to:.cnt«h a glance at .his countenance, there will be some difficulty m making an larre-t, more especially as, so fir as r* known, nofchin^ lia^ beeii st-olen. IThe 'biirglar made a trial of the saf^, which evidently proved top, miu?h fo^ .binJi, aai the CQVeriifig,.over ,thi|;|[y^^^a^Uirii(^^My^;| hjoryV watery bbjfe ?t was alm.o?t as distinctly visible as if it were the middle of the day. i tt can, only be cpn^e3^\wj»d that th^ bjijr^lar

th. light himself quite sei'nre,*and that 'he iiad closely watched the movements of Me3?r3. Inne3 and Rollo for Borne, days, and wa3 also not unaware that Mr. Straker had left, and that his successor : had been m the habit of sleeping at Mm. Wakefield's Hotel aftov Uiß;ari'ival m Polmewton. That no serious oonsequehoei; have been the result mu3t be a matter for ieongi-atulation; whilst the escapeTof tlie" ruffian is much to be regretted. ; : .-/■ ;