A HUNT AFTER A BAGMAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3242, 10 December 1880, Page 2

A HUNT AFTER A BAGMAN.

The inhabitants of the suburban district of Devonport were thrown into a state of the greatest excitement on Wednesday afternoon, and which caused quite a commotion, in consequence of a report that Mrs Morton had been robbed of her gold watch and chain by a grfm-visaged pedlar or bagman. Before the thief had got one hundred jards from Mrs Morton's house she missed her property from the bed-room, and .as no one else had been in the house she felt morally certain that the pedlar was the thief. Mrs Morton immediately ran into Messrs Duders' shop and informed them of her loss, at the same time giving a description of the supposed thief. One of the Duders immediately gave chase, and hearing that an individual with a bag on his back had passed along the shore, went in that direction. He saw such a form in the distance, and increased their speed. Scaring the tramp of feet in rapid march, the man glanced round, cast something into the bush, and at once altered his course. The bush was examined, and the watch and chain discovered. The man was caught by Mr Duder and others, and walked to his house to await the coming of Conetablo Moar, who bad been apprised of the robbery. The thief coincomplained of beiug hungry, and Miss Duder supplied him with biscuits and water. On seeing Mr Morton the man asked to. be released. He got his liberty, and subsequently he was seen by Mr Brown's children lying among the grass. They were frightened on seeing a dark man there, and thiuking he was a Fijian, ran into the bouse, locked the doors, and pull down the blinds. The man at length cleared, and has not been seen at the North Shore since, We may say in justice to Csnstable Maar that he did his utmost scouring the whole district in search of the thief.