GREAT ROBBERY OF GOLD AND BANK NOTES AT CLYDE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 4 August 1870, Page 5

GREAT ROBBERY OF GOLD AND BANK NOTES AT CLYDE.

On Monday morning, Lawrence was startled by the intelligence that a great robbery of gold had been perpetrated at the Camp at Clyde. Inspector Percy and Constables Titchiner and Henderson at once started by different routes to the scene of tho robbery. The news that morning was rather indefinite as to the quantity of gold taken, but the following particulars, which appeared in Tuesday's " Daily Times," satisfied .all inquiry :—: —

a Information was received by the Government yesterday morning that the gaol at Clyde had been broken into on Sunday night, and all the Escort gold and money for the month carried off. But few particulars are as yet to hand regarding the robbery, bat we learn that it must have been committed between 12 o'clock on Sunday night and half-^ast 4 o'clock on Monday morning. On a constable proceeding at the hour last named to the cell in wlych the boxes containing the treasure had been placed, he found the outer door apparently intact, but the inner door had been forced' open, and the boxes carried off: The outer door had been opened with a key, and the inner one by drawing the screws of the padlocked bolt. The thieves had coolly locked the outside door after them on leaving.

The excitement in Clyde, on the news of the robbery getting abroad, was, as may be imagined, intense. The police and private detectives immediately began to search in every direction for some traces of the robbers, but with, the

exception of the empty treasure boxed, which were found by Sorgcxnt Neil about 2 p.m. within fifty yards of the camp, they wero unsuccessful. Tho treasure consisted of gold, bank. notes and a small sum in cash. Tho Bank of New South Wales loses £2500 in notes and £5500 in gold, making a total of £8000. The Bank of New Zealand loses £1470 in notes £76 8s in cash, and 774 ounces of gold, representing, at £3 15s per ounce, a money valuo of £2902 103, and making the total loss of the Bank £4448 18s. The total value of the treasure stolen is therefore, £12,448 18s. No clue as yet been obtained to the persons by whom the robbery was committed, but Detective I1I 1 arrel has proceeded to Clyde to investigate the affair. We understand that it is probable that a reward of LSOO will be offered for information which will lead to the arrest of the robbery, and we may state in conclusion that the numbers of all the notes stolen are known.

From yesterday's "Daily Times" wo learn'that little morehastranspircdrogarding the robbery at Clyde, since the publication of our last issue. We learn, however, that the amount stolen was as follows : Bank of New South Wales, Cromwell, 980 ounces of gold, and L 537 in notes ; do, Clyde, 350 ounces gold, and L 2528 in notes ? total, 1330 ounces gold, and L 3065 in notes. Bank of New Zealand, Alexandra, 377 ounces gold, and L 1470 in notes ; do, Teviot, 392 ounces gold, and L7GS in notes , do, Queontown, LBIO in notes ; total, 7G9 ounces gold, and L 3045 in notes. The grand total therefore is 2099 ounces gold, equal, at L 3 15s por ounce, to £7871, and £0110 in notes, making together, £13,981, or £1533 more than was stated by us yesterday. We also hear, from well informed sources, that the General Government will in all probability, offer a free pardon to the accomplices of those concerned in the robbery, and that the Provincial Government, as already stated in our columns, will offer a reward of £500 for information which will lead to the arrest of the thieves. We may also state, for the benefit of the general public, that tho Banks are keeping a sharp look-out for the stolen notes, tho numbers of which are known.