THE G.P.O. ROBBERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 88, 10 May 1909, Page 4

THE G.P.O. ROBBERY.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Saturday. dames lleming-ivay, who was committed for trial for-thc General Post Ollice robbery, was to-day charged with stealing .stamps of a tolal value ut ,CBj(j from the Government Printing Ollice, and also stealing fountain pens of a value of X1JI) from U'hitcoinbe and Tombs. The prosecutions were the result of the research of the fingerprint department. Actuscd, according to Mr. Wiliord, bin counsel, admits his guilt aud was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. .Hemingway made the following statement to the police: " In January, lutlll, 1 was staying at Arthur Wiins'ctt's place at Mc'lntyrc's avenue, Wellington. By a chance W'imsett happened to let drop in .Scptciub r or October, BIOS, that about JC2S,UUO had been sent through from Auckland to Wellington, and lett over night in the safe of the postal parcels ollice at Brandon street. I managed to gel the keys of the parcel ollice and the safe key,aim 1 obtained duplicates of all of ' tliein about the end of November. I got Elkins to make-the two door keys for inc. and the safe key 1 made myself. On Sunday, January II), 11)111)-, I went to the parcels oll'ice at about H p.m., and examined lite contents of the safe. I went back at about 0.30 a.m. or (j a.m. next day, willi Ihe intention of removing the contents of the safe. I OPENING THE *AFE,, "The charwomen was there, and 1 wailed till they went, and then went into the parcels oiii.-c ana opened tne safe, 1 and removed tlie property that I am I now charged with sieanng* I then lired , a ' dummy ' in Hie lock 01 liie safe, using '. • gelignite, a detonator, and a piece, oi 1 iitsc. J parcelled the contents 01 the sale I - cu.sh-i,.,.xe.5. eliv,-iii'.sumc of the Postal ; Uiiaruneni', papers, and took it lot in: I iinnawalu station, and went to Fending ] in Ihe 7.50 a.m. train. "J stated there till about February j 1 ami i, and during the time t was there ; I forced open the cash-boxes, and after j taking out the corneals, lelt the casli•l boxes ami some 'postage due' stamps in -j some busiicsaiaHU hali a nine from Fcilde ing. At l-'oildiiig I found out how to ■> remove liie word 'cancelled' from the notes Willi chemical cradic.itoiv I also ;l found that 1 could make the notes ap-

pear genuine by patching. SOWING TARANAKI WITH CANCELLED NUII'JS. " From Fciidiiig 1 went to Noruiaiiby anil had ten there, and passed two single notes, one at a hold, i went to llavvera the same night, and .slated at Hook's Commercial Hotel there, in my own name. 1 think. I passed one ,C.j note at Hook's, aud one liver at, e. inoniisl's: shop, and .CI at Hie Cherniavski perfor-1 malice, and cashed about ;i'is worth of; slumps at Hit worn post oji'h :•. After; slopping one night, in llavvera 1 weal to j Ellnani, and passed notes ami stamps there ; then back to New Plt-mouiii, and 011 to Auckland. PLATE DROPPED INTO ALCKLAXI) lIARBOI'U. "1 was at Auckland for a fori night 1 paid a good few of the notes into the Bank of New Zealand mere, ami passed several in making purchases at shops. I went for 11 trip round Auckland harbor on the last Sunday 1 was there, and took all the jewcllr'y aud plate which I had got from the safe with me, and dropped Hie lot of it into tlie harbour. From Auckland 1 went to Rotorua, passing notes at various places on the way, and slaving at Kotorua for four or live davs. During my stay 1 passed three of tiie bad livers. .-'This was on or about Fehruary 1 came from there to Wellington, arriving here at -1.21) p.m., and went to Sydney on the s.s. \\ ai'i'imoo the same dayWhile in Svilitev I passed a bad note for five pounds' at tlie Bank of New Zealand. J left Sydney on April 10, 11)11!), by Ihe Warrimoo, and came back to Wellington, and went on to Christchurch the same day, putting up at the Federal Hotel. MONEY THROWN INTO THE Hl.\ h-ll "On arrival there 1 had about .Ci>o worth of repaired cancelled notes, and 1 put CPU) of them into circulation, mostly through shops. On April 21 Detective Ward came to the Federal Hotel and I cleared. I left behind in my room a leather brief bag containing about Cl 2O worth of one-pound cancelled notes repaired ready for circulation, also some gum and ink. etc., for repairing notes That Cl2O worth of notes represents all that remains of the notes I got from Hie parcels oll'ice, about half of the notes I bavin" been used to repair others. The total amount I got from tne safe was i'->j;.-.. 'The monev 1 got Irom 1 In- eaa-1 ecllcd notes at Chrislciiurch 1 threw 111-1 to the Waimnknriri river—about C 22 in g„hl and silver. ' " •• tvheu I loi'l Christdiurch "ii Ap" l ...1 I go, a cab and drove to Kaiapol, and on the way out love up s;x '--•> : note-, which I bad g"t in exchange tot ' .'„. <],•„.... whh-1, I bad goi w!vn .Vhing Hie cancelled note-, and I threw ■ .l.epioec-oill ,i thete,.',l I" ' '".' ( " : '' : 'll'oPl'e'.'lchh!,,:''. I Weill from Naldoll ,„ Helm, hv r.iil. there-■ to Wellington hy the Taka'pnna.e