AFTER MANY DAYS

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 111, 12 May 1902, Page 5

AFTER MANY DAYS

THE WAIKINO ROBBERY

TWO MEN ARRESTED

ROASTING SLIMES AT TAP.U,

(By Telegraph.—Own CorresDon^ut.)

THAMES, this.day,

At the Thames Police Court this morning Cyril Finn and James Eagar were charged with having on or about October, 1900, stolen from the reduction works of the Waihi Company, a quantity of slimes valued at £700. The ca.se was not gone into, the accused being remanded, being allowed bail, each in £100 and two sureties of £200 each.

It will be remembered that in October, 1900, a sensational robbery of cyanided slimes took place from the Waihi Gold Co.'s battery at Waikino, the amount taken being valued at £1000. The slimes were stolen at night time, some bags being afterwards recovered in the bed of the Waikino River. Great sensation was caused at Thames by the arrest of two such well-known residents as Cyril' Douglas Finn and James Eagar. Mr Chas. Rhodes, Attorney in New Zealand for the Waihi Company, gave the information which led to the arrest of the men. Mr Rhodes travelled from Auckland to the Thames on the steamer Wakatere, and saw boxes of slimes on the deck of the steamer removed to Thames wharf and taken to Tapu, where Rhodes had information that the furnaceroom of the Mahara Royal battery had been hired by Finn. The battery was entered by Mr Rhodes, Serg-eant Clarke and Detective Miller, where slimes were found being retorted. Finn and Eagar were then arrested and charged with the robbery. Both men worked at the Waikino battery at the time of the robbery, and are well-known throughout 'the goldfields. Slimes to the value of £700 were recovered, one box intact, and five in the red hot charcoal of the furnace.

Some shreds of filamentary zinc outside a canvas-covered box appear to be the cause that led up to the arrest of the two men- _vfr Eliodes -was a passenger by the s.s. Wakatere from Auckland to Thames on Friday last, and it was then he noticed tlie shreds of zinc. To any one unacquainted with cyanide -works, the fact that a few shreds of zinc were to be seen on the outside of a box would not have revealed much, but to Mr Rhodes it meant a good deal, because on board the Wakatere was also a man who had been employed at the Waikino Reduction Works, and another against whom there had been some suspicion.

Connecting the facts, Mr Rhodes saw the police upon arrival at Thames, and the actions of the two men were watched by Sergt. Clarke and Detective. Miller. Finn and James Eagar were, seen to leave the wharf with the box noticed by Mr Rhodes, in a bug-gy, and they drove down the coast towards Tapn. The police, accompanied by Mr Rhodes, proceeded to Tapu on Saturday morning, where it was learned that Finn and Eagar stayed at the Royal Oak Hotel the preceding night, and in tlie morning left for the Mahara Royal Company's battery, which is situated some four miles up the Tapu Creek. Sergeant Clarke, Detective Miller, and Mr Rhodes at once started for the battery, and on arrival there found Finn and Eagar. It is alleged they were treating slimes in a retort furnace. Slimes were also found on a coke fire, and a quantity in a beer box covered with scrim. The work of treating the slimes had only begun when the police appeared on the scene. It took quite an hour and a-half to clean out the furnace, gather up the slimes, and box them again.

Finn is about 24 years of age, and passed through the Thames School of Mines with credit about three years ago. He left his employment at Waikino Reduction Works not 1-onsr after the robbery took place. Eagar is about 27 years of age, and was also employed at Waikino when the robbery occurred.

linn and Eagar were not discharged from the Waikino works by the management, but left of their own accord, and their departure so far as any action of company was concerned was not connected with the robbery.

When the police arrived at Tapu the impression was conveyed that it was merely the usual visit of inspection to the hotel. The officers then remarked they would take a walk up the creek. Shortly afterwards Mr Rhodes drove along with a buggy and picked up Sergt. Clark and Detective Miller and started off for the Mahara Royal. When approaching the reduction works the party separated, and drew neara under the cover of scrub and ti-tree. It was noticed that smoke was issuing from the chimney, and the conclusion was arrived at that slimes were being treated. The place was approached on three sides, and whe"n the windows were reached it was seen that the fire was burning and men employed. Then the arrest took place.