Capture of a Burglar.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4278, 16 September 1882, Page 2

Capture of a Burglar.

THE BOOTY OF RECENT BUKGLARIES RECOVERED.

About a quarter to 5 o'clock last even* ing Miss Murray, who is the daughter of Captain Murray, of the schooner Elsinore, at present on a voyage to Rarotonga,' was sitting in the dining-room of their resi« dence in Franklin road, which orerlooks the Primitive Methodist Chapel and grounds, and also the back portion of the residence of the clergyman, the Rev. Mr Guy, which fronts Collingwood street, when she saw a man saunter up Franklin road, who kept looking over the fence into the grounds of the chapel in a peculiar furtive manner, * which attracted her attention. The man at length sauntered down the road again, and turned into ■Wellington street, when Miss Murray lost sight of him owing to- the chapel intervening. In a few minutes he: came back) > into Franklin road, and went up t© the gate leading into the church grounds. He took out his watch as if to see the time, opened' the gate, passed into the grounds, and then quietly shut the gate again. Miss Murray saw him go down the allotment, and jump over (he fence into Mr Guy's backyard. Having been reading about the recentburglaries, Miss Murray's attention w*j»v now thoroughly aroused by the* fibai)f3rv; proceedings, especially as she kjpejr, thit Mr and Mrs Guy' had gone on a'viiit to the Thames. - She determined:to~kpep,a. strict look-out on his movements. ■' She saw him go to the back door and knock, bat as there was no reply, he proceeded to the scullery window, and in a sggjjnent or two he opened it!, She could |?j o , aoe by what -means he did it—whethex t>y a knife or otherwise. He then passed in through the window. This decided Miss Murray as to what were the intentions of the man, and she at once called her mother, and told her what she had seen. Mrs Murray then ran to the. house of Mr Grey, next door, but that gentleman was not in. Mrs Grey sent her boy round to Mr Hill, who lives in a house in Collingwood street, which runs back to Mr Grey's allotment. Mr Hill, r who;^as at home working,in his garden'^at Vmce proceeded to WLr Guy's residence, followed by MrKnox, his neighbor, to whom;. the alarm had also been given. Mr Hill tried the scullery window, by which the man bad entered, but found it fastened. Mr Hill continued to watch at the back. At this moment a number of schoolboys opportunely came up, and assisted Mrs Murray, Mrs Grey, and Mrs, Hill in making a cordon round the;whole premises, so as to give the alarm if the housebreaker broke out at any particular place. At this time a boy called out to Mr Kaox that he had seen the housebreaker pat aside the blind'of one of the. front windows, apparently to see, if, ttfe.coast was clear for. a flight into, Co'Uin'gwood street by the front door. -He seemed, however, to be deterred when he saw the groups of people in the street. Mrs Grey ' then called out that the robber was at the library window, which is at the ? southern^ side, and Mr Hill went round in order to prevent his escape. Mr Hill went to the window to endeavor to push it up, but the ', robber tried to hold it down. After a short struggle, however, he took off his hands, and the'window was pushed up slightly. A parley ensued, Mr Hill demanding why he was on the premises. He said he was a friend of the owner of the* house. Mr Hill said he must come but) and give a better account of himself. The man threatened to punch Mr Hill's head, but by-and-by he got out of the window, and promised - to go quietly with Mr Hill to Constable ■ Bernard, at Freeman's Bay police station. Mr Hill stepped in front of the man to lead the way into the street, when he leaped over the fence, and ran up Collingwood Street and up the first lane on the left into Anglesey "Street, where ,' there is a large titree gully. Mr Hill, followed by Mr Knox, immediately went in pursuit, taking a near cut through a paddock in front of their houses, which brought them out at the foot of Anglesey Street, where they headed the man, and re-captured him. < Here, he asked permission to lace his boots,'" 1 which he had apparently takeu'off while in.Mr Guy's, house. They allowed him-to do this. J£e» , then asked that they should let him off, ' and give him a chance; as he was a married man. This,they declined to do. On nearing the police station, the robber made yet another.attempt to bolt, when MrKnox and f Mr Hill took i some vigorous measures which prevented any further attempt of the kind. Conn .. stable Bernard, who was out on duty in ' connection with the recent robberies, came' to the station shortly after their arrival, and took' the man in custody. The robber then commenced to sneer at his captors, saying that he had that upon him which if he had thought fit would have effectually > prevented''"them^ from"' taking him. He was then taken to the"' police station and chargecL He gave his 'name as Eobert Marsh, saddler. On his oeing searched the following articles were found upon him :—8 stamps, 3 gold coins,' I kerchief, 2 pawn tickets, a silver watch (No 164429), steel chain, purse, revolver, 13 cartridges, large table knife, 13 keys, a woman's front of false hair, 1 ■ gold ring,' ■ II coins, gold watch, key, pipe, tobacco, • pocket knife, and two silver rings. ' •.^ 1 Marsh then made a clean breast of his recent crimes. SergeauUMajor Pardy • and Constable Bernard at once proceeded' to his lodgings, at the house of Mr : Irvine, Adelaide street, Freeman's Bay, Marsh having separated from his -wife, who is living in another part of the town with a son, a boy of about six years of age.

Mr Irvine is foreman to Messrs Hunt and White, contractors,' and is a very respectable m&u'^ He was' much surprised at the i&ifz of the police. No one on entering Marsh's room would have " suspected the,. , inmate of any nefarious practices, as the' whole' of" 'r the booty of recent robberies had been packed in a canvas bag and a luggage trunk. While the officers were on' this' duty, Detectives Brennau and Jones,, had paid a visit, on a similar errand,,to* thfg^| residence of Mrs Marsh, where, however/ nothing was found to compromise. her:inV anyway whatever. The bag and trank were taken to the station, where a miscellaneous assortment of goods- were', spread on the floor, of a-room, for inspection by the detective* and police. The array of things was almost as good as when the, police captured Plummer'i - I depot, at Safety Tfilla, on the Tew North 1 road, during the early portion of his criminal career. The inspection speedity revealed that Marsh had been concerned at the robbery at;Mr Jones's, North road, "•' as the stolen deeds were -amongst the plunder. Articles stolen from the Eev. W.-Carter's, and Mr Haslett's, Grafton road, were also found. .Then is reaion to believe, however, that' Mush was not' concerned in the Mount Albert robbery.— Herald. """- -■■ - ■ ,