BURGLARY AT MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 793, 14 June 1881, Page 2

BURGLARY AT MASTERTON.

A,burglaryandan evident attempt at incendiarism waa'perpetrated last night or early this morning, on the 'premises of Messrs Vile & D'Arcy. Mr W. Vile was the firat to go the; store, this morning, and he observed the window at the back wide open. Thinking this an unusual occurrence, he reported the matter to Mr D'Arcy, who, on. entering the office, found everything , in confusion. ~ A heap. of drapery, brown paper, &0., was in the centre of the floor, and had evidently been- set fife to for the purpose of Burning "down the Fortunately the material,would not burn;or a fearful conflagration must have ensued, as'MessrsiVile arid D'Arcy's store' is the centre of a large block of buildings. Papers, books, letters] boxes, and drawers were all ransacked. .In the, shape,of cash, the gains of the robber' were'-limtted'tp one penny,.whioh was- in.a small stamp, box, the cash box having been locked up in the safe. The. <latter<: had been tried with a success. •■, A clock which'firid^been'left hanp;ingover the raan'telahelf taken down . and thrown intorithajfirerplaee.' Among tho things stolen .were/.two large pieces of ba'cbnj; lib* articles r df'.'drapery and clothing left'!in f 'a ; parcel by. Schroder Hb'6pW : WGo., to be forwarded. to ( a cpuntry~6ilßtqnißr, and sundry oth^r af tioleS; JCj They * 'coiild'• not* ; parry a^ay;the^,butter;s6:they it! onto the 'floor. ■ The .only, trace' left by

the burglars, is the print of a naked foot on thetable cover of the/office'table; and from this foundation: Serif; M&rdle, who was informed of the.,bcpurfe3ce?by Mr D'Aroy, has to buildJup hi.S|lhepry and capture the Although entering by thY'oack'window, the robber merely opened the front door and walked out when he had aatisfled himaelfthere was no.irjore.to.be.gained. J „.. "An attempt had also been made to enter Schroder, Hooper & Co.'s drapery .establishment.;.. .One ofthejanesjof glass; inthe'upper'saßh'hld'FeTriliroKen near the fastening which had been opened, and the sash drawn right down. But an unforseen obstacle presented itself, in the shape of a shutter which™ fitted on the windo\v frame and secured on the inside, and the burglar had evidently nottriod'further.at this point, 'The night was a beautiful moonlight .one, and the burglar.must have had great Mdness ; to step out at\ the,'front,door the street almost as light as day. The,'occurrence of Uhis second burglary within so short a time points to the necessity of a nightwatchman being appointed, as thieves .''have" every" opportunity of working at unguarded business premises ; fear of interruption. -Sergeant' M'Ai'dle' and Constable Fleming are engaged on duty all day and a great part of the night as it is, and a third constable for night'duty is evidently a necessity.