GAGGED AND BOUND

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1929, Page 8

GAGGED AND BOUND

RAILWAYMAN’S STORY. SYDNEY, October 26. Early" yesterday morning, Charles Jamieson, 18-year-old junior porter at the Carramar railway station, explained to the police how he had been bound and gagged and robbed by- armed bandits. Tho young porter’s story was a dramatic one. He was in his office at the deserted station late on Thursday night, when two«powerfully-built young men flung the door open and burst upon him. . “Hands up,” commanded one m gruff tones, as he pushed the barrel of a revolver into Jamieson’s ribs. The keys of the safe were secured, and the ropbers took all the available money, £2 l’4s. They then, bound and gagged him, and with many warnings of the violent death he would meet if he raised an alarm they sauntered away. Jamieson was able to give the detectives a thrilling account of the manner in which he freed himself. Lying on his stomach on the floor he worked his face up and down across the boards until the gag was torn from his lips. Then he rolled to and fro trying to release his bonds. Fie allowed water to drip on the ropes, but this did not loosen them. He then endeavoured to cut the strands with the pointed edge of a scissors, but still he was unable to get free.

Then he secured a knife, and throwing himself on his stomach and grasping the knife in his . hands—almost, paralysed by the tightness of their binding—he worked his feet backwards and forwards across the sharp pdge like an acrobat.

At last, after struggling for more than half an hour, the rope fell from his feet. With a sigh of relief he: struggled to his feet, ran from the railway station to a neighbouring house, roused the inmates, and breathlessly told them of hise experience. They released his V tightlybound hands, and the police were summoned. Detectives Sherringham and Young ‘listened to the story with considerable interest, but no emotion. .They closely questioned the young porter, examined the office with care, and handled and inspected the rope with which he had been bound, with apparent satisfaction. Later, in a tin buried in the ground, the detectives recovered a small, sum of money. The porter was arrested.