The Sticking-Up of a Bank.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 196, 26 August 1901, Page 3

The Sticking-Up of a Bank.

DETAILS OP THE STRUGGLE

Full particulars of the attempted bank robbery at Henty, New South Wales, indicate that the* outrage was fully premeditated, and was suffused with highly sensational features. Henty is a village of about 400 residents, situated in the centre of an extensive farming district, 40 miles from Albury, and on the Main Southern railway line. The bank is situated in the most populated part of the township, about 100yds from the railway statiou. The manager of the bank, Mr Alfred Lamport, and his assistant, Mr Thomas Hazelton, sleep on the bank premises, and when the robbers appeared they were in the room immediately at the rear of the banking chamoer. Mr Lamport was sitting at a table when Mr Hazelton left- the room to obtain a

piece of wood to replenish the fire burning in the room. He was just stepping out-

side when he was confronted by two men, both wearing masks and long black beards. One of the men, who has since been identified as Joseph Millton, alias George Manton, caught hold of Mr Hazelton by the throat and forced him against the passage near the doorway, while the other man, since identified as John Roberts, walked past bis mate and Sir Hazelton, and forced his way into where Mr Lamport was sitting. The whole proceeding occupied a few seconds, and Mr Lamport did not have time to rise from the seat before he was

confronted by Roberts, who held a revolver in his hand and called on him to bail up. Immediately after making the demand Roberts turned his head slightly towards where his mate had Sir Hazleton bailed up, whereupon Sir Lamport, with the quickness of a Hash of lightning, opened a drawer in the table at whieli he was seated, and which contained a bank revolver, and fired point-blank at Roberts. Simultaneously Roberts fired at Sir Lamport, both shots taking effect. Sir Lamport, who rose when firing the shot, fell back against the fireplace, and Roberts, utteringja cry, stumbled sideways, and quickly recovered himself, and made a dash outside, followed by Sfinton. Both men were quickly lost in the gloom. As they were leaving, Sir Hazleton, in his desperation, caught hold of a chair and threw it after the retreating man. When

falling, Sir Lamport pulled the revolver again, and the second bullet was subsequently found embedded in the woodwork of tlie room.

The discharge of three shots on the bank premises immediately gave rise to cry in the town, and tlie bank was quickly surrounded by excited people, some of whom carried guns and other firearms. For a time there was a danger of some indiscriminate shooting. In the meantime the robbers had made good their escape. Sir Lamport was found lying wounde d in the room, and on the arrival of the police Dr Slarchisini was summoned. He found that the bullet had entered the manager’s breast on the left side, and had passed around the side, grazing nis ribs, ft was subsequently extracted. Tlie police and civilians proceeded at once to make search for the robbers. Owing to the disguises they had adopted, very little in the way of description could be given to the police by the bank officials, and at first there did not appear :o be the

slightest clue as to the identity of the miscreants.

Their capture, however, proved a very easy matter, and was brought about quite simply. For some days two men had been camped at the Government tank close to the town. They occupied a tent, and had with them a sulky and two bicycles. Duriug their stay in town both men had familiarised themselves with the habitues of hotels, and seemed to be respectable men of the working class.

Constable Graham, attended by Constable Hamilton and a civilian, resolved to visit their tent and soarch for the robbers. They found both men in bod undressed. One of them rose from his bed when the police ontcred, and it was noticed that the other man lay prostrate, as if suffering pain. Sfinton, or Manton, in answer to Con-

stable Graham said that they had not been outside the tent that night. Constable Graham then stooped, and lifted the bedclothes from Roberts, when it was found that his shirt was covered with blood. At once tlie police realised that they had the wanted men. No resistance was offered by either of the men, who quietly submitted to arrest, and were taken to the lock-up. It was found that Roberts had boon shot in the right breast. The bullet appears to have first grazed his right arm, in which was held the revolver fired by him at Sir Lamport, and then entered his breast, and is supposed to be embedded in his liver. Roberts inquired if Mr Lamport was dead, and, b eing told that he was not, expressed him self pleased to hear so.

Tlie cables have since stated that the two men have admitted that they attempted to rob the bank.

“ Tlie only things worthy of note that I can see about the Budget,” says Captain Russell, “ are the facts of the rapidly increasing cost of administration, of the steady increase in the amount of the colony’s indebtedness, and of the perpetual increase in the expenditure.”

Instead of continuing to bring in new laws, which may bo in the direction of interfering with the liberty of the subject, the Government would do infinitely better work in amending the weak points of the Acts of Parliament brought in during the last two or three years.—Carterton Standard.

A novel mode of summoning the police to quell a family brawl was resorted to in Ballarat East recently. When the melee was at its height one of the disaffected parties rushed across the street and broke the fire alarm. This caused the local brigade to turn out, followed by the police, but after a mile had been traversed it turned out that only the police were wanted.

Hero is something that ought to greatly interest dairy people. After five years’ investigation of the milk question, Professor C. D. Smith publishes the following conclusions: First —A cow yields as rich milk as a heifer as she will as a mature cow. Second —The milk is as rich in the first month of the period of lactation as it will be later, except, perhaps, during the last few weeks of milk flow, when the cow is rapidly drying off. Third—There is little difference in seasons as to the quality of the milk. While the cows are at pasture the milk is neither richer nor poorer, on the average, than the milk yielded when cows are in winter feed. Fourth—The milk of a fair-sized dairy herd varies little in composition from day to day, and radical variations in this respect should be viewed with suspicion.

FLANNELETTES.—Just Landed, from s.s. Star of New Zealand. Special Value in Plain, Striped, and Fancy Flannelettes, from 4Jd per yard.—C. Rosie it Co.