FEARFUL ENCOUNTER WITH A CHINESE BURGLAR.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 30, 27 April 1878, Page 2

FEARFUL ENCOUNTER WITH A CHINESE BURGLAR.

THE " Mudgee Independent " reports that one of those outrages which rarely happen now-a-davs—thanks to an efficient police—took place on the night of the 3rd instant, at Glasscock's on the Upper Meioo, when a clever and determined effort was made to rob Mr. Glasscock's store by two Chinamen, now safely " under the clock " in Mudgee gaol. The following particulars of the burglary may be considered as correct. At about 11 o'clock on the night aforesaid, Mr. Glasscock and his household having'retired to rest, he was awakened by a bell attached to a strap on the stable door heing rung by a very old horse of his, which was in the habit of doing so. Mrs. Glasscock asked him to go out and put the bell away. He replied that if he struck a light the horse would cease ringing. He did so, and true enough the .old horse stopped, evidently waiting to he let into the stable to feed as was the practice. A few minutes after, Mr. Glasscock went out, ami fancied lie saw a portion of tho body of a man protruding at a corner of his hotel. Looking closer, he saw that ■ there was a man there, and glancing round the corner of the hotel towards , the store opposite to it, he detected tho . faint glimmer of a light between the slabs of which it is built. He at once rushed inside for the key of the store, and ran across the road, unlocked the front door, and, as he did so, the burglar inside—who was a Chinaman—tried to rush out; but he had his match to deal with. A determined fight ensued, the Chinaman being a powerful specimen of his race, and Mr. Glasscock, being in his nightshirt and without hoots, was somewhat at a disadvantage; but he stuck to his nun, who called out lustily to his mate to bring a knife, and rid him of his captor; but he didn't show up. The Chinaman had bitten Mr. Glasscock's right thumb through below the lower joint, and in the struggle for liberty he had changed grips, and seized Mr. Glasscock's right arm near the shoulder in his strong to<>tl», -n-l.Jlc. -vith his lef*. hand lie gripped his body, and with the right was dragging fiercely at Mr. Glasscock's scanty loek.s. Though Mr. Glasscock (who can use his hands a little) " fibbed " John on the nose and mouth, the fellow stuck to his teeth grip with the tenacity of a bulldog. Mrs. Glasscock, alarmed at the noise, now came on the scene, and lent a hand in overpowering the thief, who was fighting for liberty, and as her reward, was severely kicked. A couple of men who were sleeping in the back premises being aroused now appeared, and, in fact, the whole household, from the baby upstairs was awakened, the noise being anything hut harmonious. The Chinaman was now floored, and a ropo speedily obtained to secure him, during which process he kicked and bit all round like a mad dog. Having been safely roped, tho polico were sent for, a distance of six miles, over one of the ugliest bits of roads in Australia, being through deserted gold workings, and having to crass the bed of tho Meroo Borne half-dozen times. One of Mr. Glasscock's son's—a twelve-year-old—-volunteered to do the ride, and he was back in an hour and a quarter with senior-constable Moran, a feat which, ou a very dark night, is not often oqualled. In the meantime the store had been soarchsd to see what had been taken. It was seen that three slabs had been carefully taken out, and that nearly all the drapery, consisting of men's clothing, shirts, handkerchiefs, &c, had all been taken, and were found outside the store in throe-bushel bags, carefully packed, and alongside of them were Cluncse shoulder-sticks, and slings to carry them off. One load of heavy moleskins had evidently been carried off, as no traco of them could be found, nnd, if Mr. Glasscock had not been disturbed, the whole stock would have boon cleared off. When daylight appeared a minute search was made for the missing goods, but without success. The Chinaman bore visible marks of having been in the wars, as his eyes were blackened, his nose bloody, his mouth out of shape, and sundry contutions were vissible all over his face. Mr. Burbridge, who lives about 200 yards up the river from the sccno of the robbery, accompauied tho constable to Windoyer with the prisoner, ai:d, when near that place the second Chimiman was captured, having been idcntilied by Mr. Burbridge from the deecrintion given of him by Mr. Glasscock. Though not a 1)., Mr. Burbridge hns been brought up to tho law, and having had nearly twont.y years' experience of Chinese on the Meioo, he can sum them up very quickly and correctly ; nnd thus it was flint constable Moran bagged the second thief. Both offandort were safely lodged in Windoyer, and were brought before thu Bench at Margraves, where both were committed for trial at the next Court of Quarter Sessions to bo holden in Mudgee. Both prisoner:) split on the other, uud etato Unit they formed part of a gang of eight Chinese aiid oue European, who I

ImU organised a series of professional visits for plunder. They had visited Hill Kiul and Tainbaroora, also Gulgong and Mudgee, at none of which places could business be done safely, and at last chow.' th« Meroo as the scene of one of their exploits, but owing to the pluck of Mr. Glasscock, they have been blighted. Mr. Glasscock's hotel and store stand alone on the bonk of the Meroo, no house nearer than a couple of hundred yards; and the population on the river being few and far between, exceptional facilities existed for quietly robbing the store, but this was fortunately prevented. This is a second time during a residence of twenty years on the Meroo that Mr. (ilasscock has been so favored, and iu each case the robbers were disappointed.