A OARING ROBBERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 64, 18 March 1901, Page 3

A OARING ROBBERY.

IN THE PUBLIC STREET.

MAN ARRESTED.

A n.uiiNn robbery took place in Gisborne at about 7.30 on Saturday evening. A man named Charles Micklcson was walking along Peel-street near Mr Townloy’s shop, when a short, thick-set man oatno ii]) to him and asked him the time. lie pulled out his watch and told the man the time. The fellow said that it was wrong, and asked to see the watch. Then, when a favorable opportunity offered, ho snatched the watch and darted off with it. The owner immediately pursued the thief, and an exciting chase ensued in the dark. The thief would have been captured, hut the pursuer came into violent collision with a post, and got his nose seriously injured. {A largo crowd quickly gathered, and absurd rumours soon got abroad that there had been an attempted murder. The man’s nose hied very freely, but within 15 minutes of the occurrence lie reported the affair to Constable Clark. Yesterday morning, in accordance with tiro description given by the victim of tho robbery, Detective Henderson arrested a man named James Madder. Tho thief was described as a short, thick-set man, with a black eye; and, on the informant being asked if ho could single tho culprit out from a number of men who had boon got together, ho at ouco identified Madder as the porson. No trace of the watch has been found.

The man arrested had been conspicuous in town during tho day. He was ono of the principals in, a disgraceful row that occurred on Reed's Quay at 2 p.m., when a light took place. Tho light ceased when word came to hand that a constable was making his way thither, and then no ono would admit having socn a light. .liSlcr on in the afternoon Madder was misbehaving in Peol-stroct, hut was sober enough to keep quiet whenever there was a policeman about. 110 iwill he remembered as the man who took a leading part in tho burglary of Hr T. Adams’ safe, and for which lie was convicted and punished.