STRUGGLE WITH A BURGLAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 178, 28 July 1903, Page 5

STRUGGLE WITH A BURGLAR.

GUN AND REVOLVER ]

USED

STARTLING AFFAIR AT

LUCAS' CREEK

The story of a startling midnight adventure with,.a burglar was told by Mr Mark Phillips,. a .Lucas . Creek storekeeper, at" the Police Court this morn-, ing before Mr ,H. W. Brabant, S.M. A middle-aged man named James Wilson was charged with burglariously entering the premises of Mark Phillips at Albany, Lucas, Creek, stealing a rug, a loaf of bread, 51b meat, a cake, tin of syrup and Jib butter; value 23/. Sub-iiispector Black prosecuted on behalf -of the police. ■'--, ..-.•'.-. . ■ ,

Mr Mark Phillips stated that-on the night of July 17 his family went to bed at 8,30 o'clock. The door's and windows were all securely fastened at that" time.. One of the children- started to cry" 'at 1.30, and he went to its room to ascertain the reason. He saw nothing suspicious, and went back to.bed. He had been to Auckland that day, and had brought back --620, which was placed in his; coat pocket. The coat-hung on the door, and on 'the floor near it was" a cash-box -containing £2. " Between 4 and:s o'clock in the morning he thought he'iheard the. cash-box moved, and heard a noise as'of : a cat leaving the room at once went- into -the dining-room with at once Went into the dining-roin with his.;gun, but saw nobody : there. Going into the kitchen he found a kit on the .floor containing the . articles mentioned in the "charge. The rug had been on /the children's ■ bed,; and the other articles were taken from the cupboard. Tlie back door was wide open, and yvitness: went outside and 'discharged his gtin in the air. He returned to the dining-room, where he saw Wilson crouching on-the floor. Accused rushed at him 'arid witness>struek him on the head with the gun, dazing hirti.■'■'• Wilson and himself closed "and struggled, and witness asked his' wife'to'fetch' a revolver. Wilson-became quieter'when the weapon was brought, and- he .', was kept in the room until witness' brother-in-law arrived,'"when, 'he was ' secured with a rope. -Witness had seen.Wilson in "the neighbourhood six or seven years ago. • ■•.*'■''

Mrs Phillips corroborated lier husband's evidence, and said that after-she gave him the revolver she -rah out for assistance.' •' '.'. .'.

- Thomas Herbert Colton, a settler \ at Lucas Creek,' stated that the sound of a gun woke him up early on the morning of July 18. He then heard screams for assistance, and at once, ran, to Mr. Phillips', store j about. a hundred yards away... There' he: saw I WilsOn ■ lying on t/liet floor in one of -the: rooms*: with Phillips; witness- kneeling upon him. They tied him:,up. with some Tope and sent for the police. In his* pockets: were, f ouud' some candles and road metal. '■■,-'' . - ;' .""•',-'

..'Constable Lowry, who arrested -the accused and took him to Devonport, stated that Wilson lehiarked to him: ".If I had knpwhll vVaS be,; t),*eatejcl so roughly as this I would have been better prepared." Accused also stated that-he got into the house through the back, door> aiid remarked that he had a -hard life, because he had only just come out of gaol for a similar offence.

. Mr Phillips,., recalled . and questioned by the said that nothing was actually taken from. the... house. ■ A neighbour had told him she; saw '.twb,ineii near his house that night, but-he could not say, from tlie sounds lie heard, -that nior.e than, one man was. in the. house.

Formally charged,.. Wilson ..said., thafc the prosecutor. .in telling . him- to,.compare some of his keys, some years ago, had "give'ri . him an invitation."!. He pleaded, guilty, and was, committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.