WELLINGTON BURGLARS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4478, 24 July 1893, Page 3

WELLINGTON BURGLARS.

Smart Capture by Detectives Shortly after <,o'clook on' Saturday Detective Herbert and Aoting Detective Gantley were successful in effecting the arrest of two burglars, who were captured with the booty they had succeeded in purloining, in their possession. The prisoners aro named William Potter and William Clements, the former being a notorious and oft-convicted criminal, but, bo far as the police art aware, this is Clements' first dip into crime. It appears that this morning, about 2 o'olock, Mr George Waddington,landlord of the White Horse Hotel, Ngabaitfanga, was awakoned by finding two men in bis bedroom, one nf whom had a dark lantern in his hand. Mr Waddington jumped out of bed and endeavoured to arrest the intruders, but they evaded his grasp, and got away safely from tho house. Mr Waddington—who, by the way, ono day last week sustained tho loss of bis casb-box, which was taken from his hotel-lost no time in pursuing the robbers after dressing himself, and having aroused two of his boarders they all three started along the road for the city, having previously " rung up" thoCentral Police Station through the telephone. Eventually Waddington and bis Uo friends reached Kaiwarru, but could see nothing of the men of whom they were in pursuit. Immediately the telephonic message reached the Police Stitiou, Deteotives Herbert and Gantley were awakened, mid they made their way to Kaiwarra, whore thuy m 4 Mr Waddington and hia party. Tho attention of the officers when opposite tho Rainbov Hotel was attracted by a light in the bir, and upon looking cautiously through the window they saw two men, who, having regaled themselves with some little refreshment of a liquid cbaractor, deliberately proceeded to take several bottles of liquor and two boxes of cigars from the shelves, Tho detectives posted themselves quietly one on each side of the hotel, and awaited results. Potter was tho first to nuke his exit from tho house, aod was followed by Clements, Gantley selected the former as his man, and a terrific slrugglo ensued, Potter, who is »n old sailor, fought like a domoD, but ovo::kually he was manacled, and, with his companion, was lodged in the city lockup. In Potter's insido coat-pocket was found a crow-bar, about 15 inches in length—a most formidable weapon, technically known as a "jemmy." With this crowbar the prisoners had prized up the windows of both the Whito Horse Hotel, Ngahauraoga, and the Rainbow Hotel, Kaiwarra, and, in order to make good their retreat, they unlocked the front doors before proceeding to operations. This morning the aooused were brought before Mr Martin, R.M., and charged with burglariously entering the Bainbow Hotel kept ■by John Folks, and stealing therefrom one box of cigarettes, two boxes of cigars, two bottles of Old Tom, and two bottles of brandy, all of which were found in their possession. The prisoners were remanded to Friday next, bail being allowed to each in two sureties of £2O each, Mr Waddington—who with MB friends afforded the police material assistance in making the arrests-has positively identified the prisoners as being the men who intruded into his bedroom.—Post,