BANK ROBBERY AT KUMARA.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 55, 15 August 1877, Page 2

BANK ROBBERY AT KUMARA.

iEarly yesterday. morning ijfc was rumored that the of N x ew Sputh, W.aleS; at Kumara had been "stuck up,"- and the news caused, no, little excitement b,pth at Kumara and Greymoutb. The. facts, as • far as we have beeen able to ascertain them, flhow^ that a deliberate attempt to secure a large booty has been made, which would probably have tyeen successful but for the plucky behaviour of, the agent in .charge, Mr. Hjogg. This gentleman who sleeps in a room at the bapk of the Bank premises, had been wakened by something . very light touching his face. He thought ■it was a mouse and, went to sloop agais. About an, hour later he was again, wakened by hearing a noise, near the. safe in the bank. He at once felt for his revolver, which ho had placed as usual under pillow. It was not thore. He had seen it in its place during the previous, evening and had spoken to his companion in charge, Mr Lanauze, of the advisability of i discharging and reloading ijt. When he found; thjat his revolver w,as gone he suspected^ that something was wrong, and called, Mr Lanauz.o, at the same time hurrying ipto the bank. Here he at once made for a revolver which is. kept in a bolster behind the, counter. To his agreeable surprise he found it in, its place and secured it. No ( sooner. had. he done so than he perceived the door of the bank opening and closing. Without losing a moment he fired, at the opening where. he fancied he could dimly perceive the outline of a man making his exit. The shot, as can be seen, 3truek the door close to the outer edge, went through the | frame diaganally and lodgedin the jamb, whence.it has since been extracted, The robber ondeavored, to make his way towards the back by going betweon the bank and the adjoining, building. He, however, stumbled over, a barrel and dropped a bag of. gold and a parcel, of 400 'unsigned notes. Theie were afterwards picked up ; the notes by Mr Burger and

the gold by Messrs Gibson and Burger, 1 li who upon hearing tlie shots and cries tor {, the police came to the rescue. Mr Hogg had in the meantime followed the robber and fired another shot at him. He would j have fired more, but the chambers missed i fire. The robber at ono time appeared to ( have made up his mind to return and ( assault Mr Hogg, as be faced round and , began to approach that gentleman. However, he thought belter of it, probably finding that assistance was at hand. It is noteworthy that the recover ed notes and the bag of gold are marked with blood, showing pretty plainly that Mr Hoggs' shot took effect, probably in the hand. That there were two men engaged in the matter is more that likely, and the following fact renders this almost certain : whilst Mr Hogg was pursuing the miscreant, whom ho had shot, Mr Lanauze kept charge of the bank, standing at the front door ; Mr Hogg returned to the bank by the back door, which he found wide open, though he is certain that be left it shut. There can be little doubt, therefore, that a second man had escaped by the back-door. As to the manner in which this outrage was effected of course nothng is positively known. Mr Hogg noticed the previous night a strange dog hanging about the place, and endeavored to drive it away but it persisted iv remaining. It is most likely that the dog belonged to one of the robbers, who were concealed on the premises. There is a bed in the bank upon which Mr Lanauze sleeps. The keys of the safe are kept under tbo roattraus. lue woiild-be thieves could lie concealed under this bed. They must have abstracted the keys thence without awaking the occupant of the bed, which operation i was facilitated by the fact that it was raining very hard at the time of the robbery. The police are actively engaged in tracing the delinquents. The following annonymous letter was received by Mr Hoeg yesterday morning through the Post Office. It bears the post mark of the lOtli August, and is covered with droppings from a sperm candle :— " Sunday August (the space where, the date may haye been placed is covered by a large blot.') " Mr Hogg—l Imowed you when was in Ross. You done me a good turn. I i tell you to be on gard' because to of my mates asked me \<o go and, help, them tp. stick up a Bauk in Seddon street. I ' think it is thay "bank of New Zealand. I consinled, but J, thought bitter of it. I promised him not to tell. ]j believed ; thay intend shticken it or some bank on Munday other night weak. There is a private bilj on it. Won intinds stealin in with boots of. ••A. FmENp." The gold in the bag i^said to have been worth £1200,