TUNNELS AND TRAP DOORS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10164, 1 September 1915, Page 6

TUNNELS AND TRAP DOORS.

THE ELTHAM SENSATION. Rumours which had been current in Eltham for the past few days concerning a sensational attempt at robberv came 1o a heal ct noon on Sunday, say's the Argus, when two men, William Keith and Samuel W hi:e wire arrested by Detective-Sergeant Siddells, Senior-Sergeant. McNealv, and Constable Townsend, on charges of attempting to enter the premises of thcßank of New South Wales, and those of C. A. \V ilkinson. THE ATTEMPT ON THE BANK. Between the premises of J. B. Sim and those occupied by the Egmont billiard saloon is a vacant section, on which the grass is growing freely. Here then the perpetrators were afforded amnio scojie to commence their work without being observed, because the vacant section is fenced off from the public streets by galvanised iron. And they made the. most of their opportunity. A tunnel was commenced immediatelv below the western wall of the billiard saloon, and the entrance to it was covered by a trap door over which grass was growing. So cleverly was the work concealed tnat it might have>been passed many times durum the day without being observed. The funne!, which was laid about six feet underground, was about two feet wide bv two feet six inches high, and was just large enough to enable a human body to (•raw! tit rough. It had been carried underneath the billiard saloon premises to those of the bank Underneath the bank the tunnel took a sudden turn until ifc reached the strong room. Here elaborate arrangements had been made by the men for what they expected to be the final stage of a long and arduous undertaking. The floor of the strong room had a-freadv been tested, the concrete giving evidence of having been tatiped in several places. In the tunnel. immediately beneath the strong room were found a tomahawk, a spade, trowel, and other tools that had evidently been used bv the men. Everything points to cleverly arranged plans. The building having been erected upon sloping ground there was plenty of room for the deposit of the spoil without having to cart it away. Under the bank the tunnel becomes an open trench, but boards wore laid upon the trench and the spoil deposited thereon. thus making the trench a timber-roofed tuniie'.. The timber, it is believed, way taken from Mr Scoon's vard.

Some dnys ago the work was discovered by Mr Ross, the manager of the bank, and Mr Grant, who immediately informed Constable Townsend. The police in New Plymouth wen then communicated with, and after almost a week's investigation an arrest was affected. AT WILKINSONS.

A.t Wilkinson's the devices used are even more clover than is the case at the bank. Immediately adjoining the main portion of the building is a corrugated iron store, in the eastern wall of which is an iron ventilator. This the culprits had converted into a sliding door, thus gaining access to the interior of the basement. A tunnel was constructed underneath the brick wall separating the main building from the store, and was carried to a point immediately underneath the office, the floor of which is elevated from the rest of the floor. In this small elevation a trap door was constructed, and could be opened and closed at will, hinges having been attached. The door was concealed by a large bench, running practically the whole length of the store, and the" culprits must have been well acquainted with the premises, as they chose a spot for the entrance that would have proved the last to afford detection. This proved to be the case.

For some time-past goods had been missed by the firm, and Mr Flyger. the manager, was interviewed by the police last week and informed of what had occurred at the bank. Investigations were then made at Wilkinson's premises, and the sliding door in the rear discovered. A kerosene case had been placed in front of the door to conceal the work. Further investigation proved that the. culprits had been making the most of their opportunities, for in the tunnel was found a quantity of goods, including a half box of butter, two blankets, a box of fruit, a quantity of pickles, and other goods. REMANDED TO SEPTEMBER 7. The men were formally charged at the Magistrate's Court before Mr B. Dive, J;P., with (1) on or about June 1 entering the premises of C. A. Wilkinson and stealing goods therefrom, (2) attempting to enter the premises of the Bank of New South Wales, with the intention to steal. Both men were remanded to appear at Eltham on September 7 next, and were taken to New Plymouth gaol to-day. Finger-prints were found on a bottle in the tunnel underneath the bank. Mr Fake estimates that, judging by the colour of the earth in the dug-out portion, the work must have been going on for fully six months.

Complete outfits of change clothing, including boots, were found in the tunnels. The men had evidently changed every night before commencing work.