HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LII, Issue 5807, 6 October 1879, Page 5

HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

A daring case of highway robbery debarred ’oil Friday bight; bu the Biccartbn road; 'About half-past ten o’clock Mr H, E. May, draper. High street, was with his wife being driven into Christchurch by Hi Harris, coach-driver to Mr G. H. Heath, and when near the stone bridge in the hollow portion ] of the road about a quarter of » mile, from the Biocarton Hotel on the town side, a man wearing a black mask rushed out from under the gorse fence, and held up both arms in'front of the mare and seized hold of the reins, when she at. once stopped. Mr May was sitting - in the near side of the buggy, and'the man pointed a revolver at him arid said; “ Give mo your money, or I will fire.” .Mr. May told him he had no money fo'r‘hlm,’and the driver jumped out of the buggy on the off side; The highwayman ■took .rid" notice 1 of this, but, still addressing. Mr May, said, “ If y(ju have no money, you have 'a watoh.’’ Harris’ called out that ! he had'4s if the man would take it, and handed the money to' Mrs May to give to him. The lady took the silver, and" was attempting'; to hand it to the man when Mr May caught hold of her hand and at once jumped but at the robber; who was standing about 3ft from him with a, revolver pointed at his head. The man at once fired, and Mr May thought he was ’shot, but continued his rush and caught the fellow by the throat with his right hand, arid with his left grasped hold of the man’s.right hand in which he held the revolver. The would-be highwayman .fired again, and the. ■driver ran to Mr May’s'assistance, but in the 1 struggle Mr May had : . thrown his man to the ‘ground. Mrs May then drove to.the Bicoattori hotel for asaistanqe, and while she was gone Mr May wrenched the revolver from is prisoner, and with the assistance of Harris held him down. Mr G. Lewis and Mr J. Jameson returned with. Mrs May, . and the latter and, Harrik took charge of the irian whila Mr May went to the hotel, to examine his shoulder, as, from the sensation he had experienced, he fancied he hod been shot there. He had, however, fortunately escaped, although the ball had passed through ! his J oybr arid rindetobat close to his .left khbalder; arid his overcoat hid bees ioorohed witty thb priwder. Aporson in a trap shortly' ‘afterwards drove up to 1 where the prisoner was being held,’ arid Wing informed of what had,bcburrbd,’ drbye' in to the. Police Depbtj ’ fetriipirigHWth Detective Benjamin, who took ■oharigorif theprisouer.' When brought to the dbpbti hb wjis found tb have two suits of clbthes bp, which gays him the appearance. of “Wing 1 a stout built J man. The revolver ’ftbih'ri’Bieh he 1 hid fired was six chambered, -fqur bf''the bhairibers being still loaded with’ ■ ballyajud In orie’qf . pockets there were 14 wiM.'rtjf fiftU' bartririgbs. He had an'orthodox pistbl bWt drith a poaoh—made evidently by himself—for qarrying.thq pistol in, aridat the, other sido' hb ' crimed .a dagger in a sheath ' l?ngkh. Jhis desperate individual.! b»> a lad about IB years of age named ‘Albert ' Pillow who ■off' up“to‘ aboiit a month ago wa* employed! in thecTelegriph. 'Departmeat. l > ! The dagier have mf «Tw. aoknow: ;

found. )concealed in q bag in the room bocu* ,',>'p®utod,,;!.Mvortoi -. WpkaM weapon* apd spear heads, which; were missed ,|wter kh®:> .IfwW tokbery., Aoputed | wa» .brought.np op Saturday morning at the B«*idont Magistrate’s,Court,,aed romanded tntil ,jtq-day w«®kv','- : f .s,•!!■'•* ■ j! ~