DARING- ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 502, 22 June 1865, Page 4

DARING- ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY.

Last evening, between nine and ten o clock,a most daring attempt at robbery was committed in Queen-street, The character of this attempt was more than usually audacious, but unskilful. Several persons were occupied atthe time in looking through the window at Mr. Asclier's valuable collection of jewellery, when a crash was heard, one of the panes of glass was found to be broken into minutest fragments, and almost before people could feel surprise, a hand was thrust through, and seized a tray oi expensive gold pins. The robber decamped; pursued bv a number of persons. lie bolted up " Yialou's archway, where — late would have it so—stood a police constable, as if in waiting. Mr. Asclicr himself was as suddenly astonished as the curious who were outside of his shop, by finding a rather rude piece of mosaic, in the shape of a brickbat, where fine gold and sardonyx had been belore. The thief had, in his flight, lost the greater por- | tion of his booty, and the breastpins were scattered on the pavement and in the kennel. Several gentlemen who were standing by picked up some"of this pointed "treasure trove," and returned it to the rightful owner. A lady, also, who was standing near, found one and brought it to Mr. Asclicr, who had meanwhile recovered from a momentary consternation. The value of the tray of pins was about £100 and Mr Asclicr computed his loss atrougligtiesS to be about £20. Meanwhile the scamp was taken to the police station. He was clothed in u sergeant s undress uniform of tlic 3rd Waikato 'Militia. Eight of the stolen pins were found uponhim. The prices weremarkedontliese and ranged at from 12 to 10 shillings each. The following is the account the fellow gives of "J 111 " self. lie says his name is Leonard Clare, that he is a native of Queen's County, Ireland, and that lie came to Auckland in the ship Bombay. He says he is a tailor by trade, and that lie has been up the country as far asDrury. He says he committed this daring offence because lie was in distress ; that he knows no one in. Auckland. When asked the name of the captain of the ship Bombay, he either could not or refused to sav. When requested to explain why he was in the uniform of a sergeant of the militia, he said that he had bought the clothes. Although a tailor, he has never asked anyone in Auckland for work. He declined to mention the names of any of the passengers of the ship Bombay. He told the police that he had been sleeping in the streets all the previous night. That he had been drunk for a considerable period after the arrival of the ship in harbour. He described himself as an assisted emigrant. His object in doing what lie had done he said was to get into prison, or if he escapcd to get the means of leaving the town. The police, however, say that they know his face. They disbelieve his story about coming in the Bombay. He certainly has nothing of ' the softness of the "new chum. ' He has what the late Sergeant Uirehouse used to call " tlie philosophy of crime" at his fingers end. The value of the property recovered is about £'5. This man is apparently about 25 years of age, with grey eves, sharp features, about five feet seven inchcs in height, close cropped hair.