AN EXCITING CHASE.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 102, 27 October 1904, Page 6

AN EXCITING CHASE.

SUPPOSED BURGLARS RUN DOWN. HIDE AND SEEK THROUGH A BIG BUILDING. In connection with the arrest of two men charged with breaking and entering Te Aro House, we have received, firsthand from one of those who took part j in it, details of the chase after the two men who were arrested last evening in Te Aro House. Watchman Sheedy, who patrols this vicinity in Cuba-street, found the door of Te / Aro House had been tampered with. This was some time about 11 p.m. Having warned the custodian — Mr Kinniburgh, who lives in the back of the premises — to keep an eye on the building, he made search for a policeman, but not being successful, caused Mr. A. 'H. Rogers, of Manners-street, to be rung up from the Silver Grid restaurant. T Mr. Rogers was asked to ascertain ii there were any poHce in the vicinity of his premises. He found Constable- Nash, also Constable O'Hara, who had been attracted by Watchman Sheedy's whis- | tie. This force, with Constable Kyle, was quickly .on the scene. Sheedy watched the front of the building, and Kinniburgh watched the back, while the three constables and Mr. Rogers went j inside. They entered by the back door, I which was locked after them by Mr. Kinniburgh..' The proverbial search for a needle in a hayloft is not an unworthy parallel for a hunt after a man in a big soft goods warehouse, with its different stories connected by several different staircases, and with its various connected apartments, and recesses, and heaps of stock, etc. More especially when the men wanted are on their guard, and there are only two resolute but unpretentious bullseye lanterns to throw a light on the subject. While the search party is traversing one floor, the other party is navigating another, while they are going up one staircase his is descending by a different one. It is a game of hide-and-seek with endless scope. The search had proceeded for about half an hour before its object was sighted. Prior to that his progress was proclaimed to the ear by the sound of falling stock, overturned as he went ; not by his footfalls, for he was subsequently found carrying his boots under his arm. To checkmate the excessive mobility of the enemy, the attacking party proceeded to barricade doors after passing through them. One of these had a heavy pile of linoleum against it. When the fugitive subsequently opened this door, the fall of the linoleum proclaimed his whereabouts. Before he could get clear of the locality, the searchers were upon him, and Mr. Rogers, with a reVolver, bailed him up in the carpet department. The police made the arrest without further trouble. The search continued, but in less difficult conditions. By the arrival of the manager, Mr. Smith, who had by this time been summoned, the lights were located and turned on. Constable Andrews, who had arrived from Mount Cook, found the second suspect in a window. He was duly arrested. Subsequent investigation indicated that there could hardly have been much cash discovered, because it was not the practice to leave much. A drawer containing £5 was overlooked.

For the third successive day the weather is wet, and the already biggest record fall for a month in forty years is being steadily increased. There has been little or no wind in the last twenty-four hours, but a steady current of air carries with it a drizzle from the south, where they appear to have an inexhaustible supply of this sort of thing. There have been no further earth-slides about the city worthy of record, and the railways are running without interruption. Captain Seddon informs us that fhe paragraph which appeared in our issue of last evening to the effect that the Seddon-Taylor libel action had been put uack till February next, is news to him and his solicitor; that Mr. Taylor had prevented a hearing of the case months ago by using his privilege as a member of Parliament and obtaining from the Speaker a certificate which enabled Mr. Taylor to postpone the hearing of the action until thirty days after the close of the present session ; that recently Caplain Seddon's solicitor, Mr. Stringer, had written to Mr. Taylor's solicitor, asking Mr. Taylor to agree to the case being heard at the usual November sittings in Christchurch, and that Captain Seddon and h,is solicitor are still awaiting a reply. Captain Seddon has not agreed and knows nothing whatever of any adjournment until February, but on the contrary intends to press his long-de-layed case to trial as early as the law permits. Our paragraph was based on the fact that the Speaker's privilege warrant issued to Mr. Taylor relieves him from the necessity of appearing in the case until thirty days after the close of the session, and as the November sittings begin on 23rd November, and the session is not yet over, the case will •aye to be postponed till the February sittings. The police warn all persons who have either money or valuables to keep them in a secure place, us it is impossible to tell when the burglar may be attending to his illegal business. There is nothiug so secure as Chubb's burglar-resisting safes. They have stood the test for years, and never fail those who hvist in them. Full stocks are kept by W. H. Honey and Co.. Willis-street.— Advt.