SENSATIONAL ROBBERY IN A TRAIN.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8163, 18 April 1895, Page 1

SENSATIONAL ROBBERY IN A TRAIN.

Tho Argus reports that tho passengers by tho Bondjgo train ono day last week woro alarmed just below Lancefiold June ion by loud cries which camo from ft eecond-class carriago, and seemed to indicito that somo sensational tragedy was taking place. Every head in iho train was hung out of the windows, including that of a Hindoo, who gestulatcd wildly, and with as good English as ho could command cried * Murder !' 4 Thieves !' The train was stopped, bub in a moment, when tho driver found ib was only a matter of robbery, with which ho had no concern, and which could bo better attended to at a station, the journey was recommended. At tho next station two mon got out of tho carriago in which iho Hindoo was travelling, and whilo the trouble was being explained they made their ssoapo quietly. Whab was wrong was not easy to understand. Tho Hindoo clung to tho two men who woro in tho carriage, and accused thept of robbing him. They in their turn treated th«j matter quiot coolly, and said tho man was mad. There were no polico on tho platform, and as the railway oilicwls could tako no responsibility, tho Hindoo was loft to shift for himself. The tiain moved on, and tho Hindoo's criea could bo heard above tho rattlo of the wheels all along the plains, hub ho struck to tho two men until North Melbourne was reached. There, when the doors were unlocked by tho porters collecting tho lickolß, tho unfortunato Hiddoo recommenced his lalo. Tho mon knew tho road well, much bettor than ho, and before ho had got a start on his lamenUtions they had passed out of the station, and jumping into a cab wtre driven rapidly away. Since tho beginning of tht» ye^r tho pressure of retrenchment has deprived tho North Melbourne, so it ion of its polico constable, and to this fact tho esctpo of tho alleged robbers was duo. Later tho Hindoo told his talo. Ho says that ho lofc Echuca in tho morning with tun LfMntes and four LI notes in his possession. These wore the result of months t*f hawking in tho ojuntry, and ho was journeying to Melbourne to buy a now pack and start on tho track again. Somewhere along the line four men gob into tho BoconJ-class carriage which ho had previously cccupn d <ilono. They bogan to talk with him, and probably ho let Blip Bomothing of his money possession, for below L^nccfield Junction threo of thorn gripped and held him, whilo tho fourth searched his pockets nnd robbed him of all his inonoy. If tho circumstances woio as have boen rola'cd it is evident that gross neglect was shown by somo of tho railway oflicials in not telegraphing to tho Melbourne polico so as to onsuro that a constable would meet tho train.