BURGLARY AT WAITOTARA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 311, 28 June 1912, Page 4

BURGLARY AT WAITOTARA

STATIONMASTER DRUGGED. On Monday night a sensational burglary was committed at Waitotara (reports the Waverley correspondent of the Patea Press), the residence of the etationmastcr, Mr. B. Fleming, being broken into and ransacked. It appears that the burglar or burglars entered the house while the inmates j were asleep, and succeeded in drugging Mr. Fleming. While the house was beI ing ransacked, Mr. Fleming's little daugh--1 ter of eight awoke and saw a man in ! her room. He immediately rushed at her and placed his hand over her mouth, saying lie 'would "do" for her if she made a noise. He then placed something over her mouth, rendering her insensible, for she remembered nothing further until awakening on the following morning. ' Mr. Fleming awoke next morning suffering somewhat from the effects of-,the drug, ami was greatly surprised to find the house disordered, his clothes scattered about the room, and both the back and front doors, which he had locked before retiring, open. All the> loose silver in his pockets was missing, and also his private keys, but a cheque had not been touched. The keys were found in the next room. Fortunately, the keys of the station had been hidden. When little Miss Fleming awoke she told of her strange experience. She was, however, able to give a fairly good description of the burglar. A few articles were missing beside* the silver from Mr. Fleming's pocket, but nothing in the nature of a haul was obtained. The police are investigating the matter.