Extraordinary Outrage at Ludgate Hill.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 247, 17 October 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

Extraordinary Outrage at Ludgate Hill.

Shortly before one o'clock in the afternoon two men, apparently of the artisan class, went up to the shop of Mr J. W. Benson, watchmaker and jeweller, of Ludgate Hill, and smashed two of i the windows of the premises, one usiug wibh tremendous force a small iron bar like a jemmy, and the obher a large-sized cold chisel, which he afberwards hung in among a case of wabches. There was greab excibemenb among fche passers-by ; bub the two men, who made no atbempb bo escape or bo seize any of the properby in bhe window, remained perfecbly composed. Some of Mr Benson's assisbanbs rushed oub to detain the men, and while the manager and others secured the costly properby bhus exposed, bhe police were senb for, and the iron shutters promptly let down. One of the men said there was nothing that was nob deliberate in their conduct; that, being out of work and in great distress, bhey 3imply smashed bhe windows in order bo call attention to their condition and that of their class. Then one of then? added thab ib was impossible for people in their destitute state to view the evidence of so much luxury calmly, ■or to resist the anger and temptation caused by seeing windows full of gold and precious stones. It was afterwards stated that one of the men was a painter and the obher a joiner. They were removed by the police to bhe station. They were not destitute, as the police found 16s upon one of them. The declaration of the offenders thab they did nob contemplate plunder is borne out by the fact that nothing appears to be missed among the property displayed in the windows.