ALLEGED ROBBERY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9600, 21 September 1909, Page 3

ALLEGED ROBBERY.

ADVENTUKE WITH FOOTPADS. The following remarkable statement was furnished to an Otago Daily Times" reporter on Friday •night by Mr A. B. Taylor, recantly of Wellington:— "I am a commercial traveller, and have lately come from Wellington to reside with my people a* Dunedin. Recently I went for a holiday to Gore and Invercargill, and returned to Dunedin on Wednesday evening, a little after 7 o'clock. I returned home by way of Princess Street and Manor Place. Just as I got to the bridge above steep Street a man appeared and- asked me for a match.' 'Certainly, old chap,' I said. I was carrying a brown overcoat and a Gladstone bag, and while 1 searched for matches with my disengaged hand the man suddenly seized me by the,wrist. Another man got hold of me behind, and passine his arm round my neck P res f° it against my mouth, which prevented my calling out. He finally pinioned me while the other proceeded to go through my bag, and, finding a shirt, jammed as much of it as possible into my mouth, and, taking a turn round my neck, brought the sleeves forward again, knotting them tightly under my chin. This not only*! effectively me, but nearly choked me as well." Here Mr Taylor produced the shirt, drawing attention to a part which was still damp. This, he said, had been stuffed into his mouth. Continuing, Mr Taylor said: I could hardly breathe. My temples throbbed and my hefldlseemed bursting. The man who was not holding me went through my pockets, and afterwards again through the bag, taking 15s in silver and coppers, a new pipe, some tobacco, and a new , razor. They then took off my belt. Mr Taylor produced the belt and showed how the men had interwound it round his legs, tightly buckling jt - A "They then produced a nr.e cora, which they tied to my ankles, and, bringing down my arms behind me, secured my wrists behind my knees. I was in a crouching position and the pressure on my wrists and ankles stopped the circulation of the blood. At this place there is a slnpe down one way, and I roiled a littie in that direction. 'Better lay him away a bit,' one of them sa : d, and they rolled me over out of the pathwav. After they had gone I managed with great difficulty to ♦ nl*t roiind till I got back on to the path, wh«re I lay trussed till 10 o'clock. Then I heard footsteps, and I a lady and gentleman approached." The gentleman reused me. The police, when approached on the subject, stated that the incident had been reported by Mr Taylor.