STICKING UP A MAIL COACH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10837, 22 August 1898, Page 3

STICKING UP A MAIL COACH.

The driver of the coach which was recently stuck up at Bungendorc (New South Wales) gives the following account of the occur-rente:-"When the mail coach came to the clump of trees on the plain, six miles south of Bungendore, two armed men rushed out, mid called out, 'Bail up!' I did not take much notice at first, and only pulled up when one man snapped a revolver at the horses, but the weapon did not go off. The other robber had a rifle. They demanded the mail bags, and asked if Itee were any ladies on board. On being told that there were two, one of the men said, ' 'lell them not to be afraid, they will not be interfered with.' The passengers were asked for money, but it was particularly scarce among them. One lady, who was on the boxseat at the time, managed to secrete her money and purse in her stocking, otherwise she would have lost them. The mail bags were obtained and taken by the two men to a fire, where they were overhauled, the coach was then allowed to proceed, and when fou" miles from Bungendorc was met by the proprietor, Mr. Crowley, who, on learning the cause of the delay, galloped back and cave information to the police. A party at once went out, and discovered five empty mail bags half-a-mile away from where the coach was bailed tip; also the contents of the bags, some of which had been burnt to cinders. Postal notes, cheques, and post office orders were also picked up, but there were no trace of the men. In the Captain's Flat ma.l, which was destroyed, were cheques to the amount of £4000 There were also 15 registered letters',.chieflv containing money orders and postal notes.' The other bags, it is believed, only contained ordinary letters and papers. At the time of the sticking up there were fou- men and two women on the coach. One of the robbers had side whiskers, and the other a full beard; but it is believed that both were false. , Fear the scene of the occurrence it is wild, mountainous country-the Jingera mountains, one of the last strongholds of the notorious Clarke gang of bushrangers, who, in the 60's, were in that part of the country, It is expected that the robbers have made into these strongholds, where they will probably be secure from arrest, at least for some time. __^_____—.