MELBOURNE ZOO ROBBERY.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 July 1919, Page 3

MELBOURNE ZOO ROBBERY.

J GOAL AND A FLOGGING. l PAINFUL SC-ENE IN COURT. W'hen Francis VVilliam Hawken, labourer, and Walter Middleton, motor driver, were placed in the dock in Mel‘ybourne, "before Jtidge \VOm-a’rski, in General Sessions, for sentence on the charge of robbery with violence in company with William Henry Dudley Le Souel, director of the Zoological Gardens, Mr T. C. Brennan made an appeal for leniency on behalf of Mid. dleton. This accused was, he said, only 18 years of age, and not only had he previously borne a. most excellent eliaracter. but. he had spent all his spare time until the receiit strike -of taxi—(lrivcrs in improving himself. Middleton himself had not planned the robbery; he knew nothing of Mr Le Souef"s nloi7ementS. It was fairly clear that he was wpressed int.o the afi:'a.ir; that he tried to back out sevenal times; that he did not use the bludgoon; and that he pl'o-testetl-at any attenipt. to strike Mr Le Sonef. Middleton’s father also gave evidence as to his son’s good character. Hnwken, [from the -dock, protested his innocence, said he had never been in trouble before, and claimed that it Was unfzxir to put all the blame upon‘ his: shoulders. M l

The sentence of the Court was that each of the accused by privately whipped fifteen strokes with «the cat-o’-nine tails. :zm(l Hm’: each ‘serve 3, term of i1:1p1'iS()11111C11f for five years. Immediately sentence was pronoungpfl {hr-ru \_"‘_?._v u I'vJl'~n.~‘3wlT, ""‘(\7‘,." s’? Hl!‘

C‘ml=:f. .~\c(-used .\l_id<il.2lull‘.< 'u:Lmu;~r. a young man who wore a sold"ler’s badge and who was minus one of his logs. bursf into violent sobbing, while his fonxalo I'olal‘iv(‘s indulged in hysterical weeping.

i“When light burn low,” where sweet i T babe sleeps ‘While grateful mother vigil keeps, I Watching it breathing calm and free Her pet that yet the morn shall see—— O, what relief and joy is known Where croup is foiled and overthrown; What gratitude and blessing pure, Evoked by Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 13