DARING OUTRAGE AT POTTS POINT.

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

DARING OUTRAGE AT POTTS POINT.

(" Town and Country Journal," March 2.) A. daring outrage was committed at Clopec, Potts' Point, the residence of Mr. Archibald Thompson, J. P., early on Sunday morning, and it would certainly appear from the particulars furnished us that the real design of the offender was not larceny but murder. Mr. Thompson's family retired to rest at about midnight on Saturday, and at that time thero was nothing whatever to indicate the presence of a stranger, though, doubtless, the burglar was then upon the premises awaiting opportunity for his work. Nothing disturbed the quiet of the house till, towards morning, the footsteps of a man awakened one of Mr. Thompson's daughters who were asleep in an adjoining room. The elder of the two observed a man enter the open doorway, and approached with rovolver in hand to their bedsi&e. Partly from fear, and from a noble regard for the safety of her father—for at the slightest noise he would have rushed out upon the revolver —she remained silent. The burglar retreated to the door.. His slipper then fell off, and in again putting it on he had occasion to slightly raise a cowl that he wore, and a glance at his features was obtained, which may yet lead to his conviction. He next looked at his revolver as if in expectation that he would soon use it, and entered the room again, whereupon the daughters, now both awake, screamed and fled by way of the balcony to their father's room. Mr. Thompson instantly grasped his revolver, and with little concern for his own safety went in Bearoh of the burglar. Ho found him hiding beneath a curtain in the bath room, but his demand for a surrender was met with a shot from a revolver, which fortunately did not take effect. Mr. Thompson replied at once, scattering the mortar about the burglar's ears, and again calling on him to surrender. He refused, however, to do this and sought to make his escape; but, in descending the stairs, to which unfortunately he had free access, he turned and fired steadily at Mr. Thompson, who distinctly heard the ball wbiz past his ear and lodge in the wall three feet behind him. Mr. Thompson replied, but again missed, wher.eupou the burglar responded in a reckless manner, endeavoring now by all means to get away from so dangerous an adversary. But Mr. Thompson was successful in his last shot to hit the scoundrel, as upon reaching the foot of the stairs ho swerved and noarly foil down, indicating that the bullet had gone home. But under cover of the darkness he managed to escape. The neighborhood was alarmed at the sound of the revolvers, and two young ladies—the Misses Gilder—observed the burglar escaping, whereupon they cried out, us a person was passing in another direction, " Will no one arrest that man ; he has committed murder," which WU of course a slight exaggeration on the part of those young Indus, but which is quite oxousable undor the circumstauccs. The burglar, who was seen to hold his hand at his sido as if much hurt, defiantly exclaimed with a flourish of the revolver, "I'd like to see the man who'd arrest me," and then disappeared in the gloom. The police have got a pretty fair description of him, and hope soon to have him in their hands. Two of the bullets fired by Mr. Thompson were found in the walls of tho house, near whom the burglar stood at tho lime, but the third has doubtless much against his will beun taken away by the desperado. Two of, the bullets fired at Mr. Thompson have boon discovered ; the third remains hidden. It is evident from our examination of the premises, that several valuables in tho shapo of articles of jewellery and gold watches, which caiuo under tho nuiglars' hands were not takon, which shows that the object was not theft. The

war in which ha had examined nil revolver, when nothing had occurred t<> indicate resistance t" his nefarious work, would seem to demonstrate a design on Mr. Thompson's life, which was happily frustrated.

The following notification has ban issued as a supplement to the " (iovornment Gazette " of Tuesday :—Whereas about 3 a.m., on the 24th instant, the residence of Archibald Thompson, Esq., J.P., Potts' Point, was entered by a man masked and armed with a revolver, who, upon being seen and challenged, fired three shots at Mr. Thompson, who also fired three shots at the offender, the last shot it is supposed taking affect : Notice is hereby given that a reward of £SO will be paid by Government (in addition to a reward of £l5O offered by Mr. Thompson) for such information as shall lead to the apprehension and conviction of the offender. In addition to the above reward J lis Excellency the Governor will be advised to extend a free pardon to any accomplice, not being the person who actually fired the shots, who shall first give such required information.