RUN TO EARTH.

Evening Star, Issue 11657, 18 September 1901, Page 4

RUN TO EARTH.

THE DETECTIVES MAKE A SMART CAPTUKE. j Wha,fc with the " dynamite " safe burglars j and the depredations* of the daylight housebreaker, Inspector Pardy, Sub-inspector Kiely, Chief-detective Oampbe'.l, and his staff of detectives have had an anxious and busy time lately, but it is pleasing to record that on each occasion they have proved equal to the demand, and that they finished up this morning by making one of the smartest and cleverest arrests we have had vi this City for some years past. I'he dynamite safe robbers were the first to occupy the attention of the detectives, and the latter promptly got to work by arresting two suspects mide* the Vagrancy Act, and having them sent to gaol as rogues and vagabonds. Singularly enough, since then there have been no other safes burst open by the dynamite method. No sooner, kowr ever, had the detectives finished their labors in this direction than an impudent and daring daylight housebreaker made his appearance, and during the last two weeks ho has broken into seven or eight private' houses, making a good haul on nearly every occasion. _ The detectives were baffled at first as to who the new arrival might be, and until yesterday they were able to mako but little headway. They knew there was one stranger in town—a man whom Detective Cooney and Plain-clothes Constable Connolly noticed pawning three rings on the 30th of last month, but it was not until yesterday, when it was ascertained that this man answered the description of the person seen coming-out of Mr Bayley's house, in Duke street, last Sunday, that the detectives became thoroughly suspicious and decided to -natch the new-comer's movements. Chief-detective Campbell and Detective Cooney dropped across him last evening, and Plain-clothes Constable Nelson was told off to watch. The latter followed the man along Cumberland street as far as Duke street, after which he turned again, and eventually entered a private house in St. Andrew* street, where it was afterwards ascertained that he had taken a room, for which he paid 5s a week. The house was watched early this morning, and he was seen to leave about half-past seven, with Nelson still on his track. He went in the direction of the north end, and had gone some distance when Nelson thought it was about time to drdp on his man. He was there and then arrested, and taken to the Bolice Station. On being searched two large skeleton keyfi and five small ones, in addition to over £2O in notes and gold, were found. He gave his name as George Lee. From his appearance no one would take him for a burglar. He is about fifty-two years of age, has a grey moustache, is well-dressed, and looks quite respectable. That he is an expert at his business seems evident from what transpired later. The defectives lost no time in searchiug the man's room in Hanover street, and in his portmanteau they discovered other skeleton keys, a chisel (the point of which 'was wrapped up in leather), a table knife (probably used for.shifting the snibs of windows), and other implements usually carried by burglars. A large quantity of stolen jewellery, such as brooches, rings, bangles, pins, etc., were also found in the man's portmanteau, but in their present state they arc never likely to be of much use to thei'r owners, the thief having cutely destroyed every trace of jewellery by breaking it'up so as to have it ready for smelting. In fact, he went the length of telling the detectives that ho was only waiting to smelt it to-night, his object doubtless being to sell it afterwards as old gold. The unfortunate owners will find little consolation in getting their jewellery back as it now is. Valuable gold bracelets have been smashed to atoms, .brooches have been broken up in pieces and the stones removed; but an amethyst and cairngorm have been recovered. Tv.'o pieces of a medal, which was bent up in such a manner as to be almost unrecognisable, was straightened out with the pliers, and found to be a New Zealand Amateur Association medal won by G. Galloway iu the threemile walk at the champion'ship meeting in Wellington in 1893. This, together with a brooch and pin, was stolen from' Mrs Galloway's house. The latter articles have been broken up. A bottle of acid used for testing metals was also unearthed by the detectives, who are to be congratulated on having made such a good haul. As far a3 can be ascertained, the man arrived here on the 29th of last month from Wellington and Christchurch, where robberies of a similar kind took place without detection. When pawning the rings, which are supposed to j£ ve heen stolen in either Christchurch or Wellington, a day later, he gave the name of Thomas Wilson. The police are now making inquiries at the jewellers' shops as to whether any smelted gold has been disposed of within the last few weeks. Where t£e smelting took place is, so far, a mvstery. Two preliminary charges were laid against the man this morning. The first one charges him with breaking and entering Mrs Galloway's house in Walker street on the Bth mst., and stealing therefrom a gold medal, a gold cairngorm brooch, and a scarfpin. The other information laid against him is that he broke and entered the house of Charles Bayley, in Howe street, on the 15th mst., and stole a pound note, a half-sove-reign, a gold pearl brooch, and some other money. This afternoon the man was further charged with, on the Bth fast, stealing from the house of Adam Clark, at the corner of Union and Castle streets, s*x single pound notes, a gold scarfpin with diamond,-a gold bracelet with diamonds and rubies, a lady's gold ring, a gold brooch with pearls, and a silver albert, of the total value of £lB 15s. Most of this property has been recovered, but the onlv articles that remain intact are the pin and gold ring. All the other jewellery has been broken up. The accused says that, he was a ship's butcher, but beyond denying that he was ever in the service of the Union Company he declines to state where he jras employed. He will be brought before the Police Court to-morrow, when the police will apply for a reman i for a week. Thoy are making inquiries as to his antecedents. So far ho is unknown to them.