ATTEMPTED HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11826, 2 December 1901, Page 5

ATTEMPTED HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

TWO MEN BAILED UP. A Stdxf.y contemporary gives particulars of a daring attempt at highway robbery made on ihc afternoon of November 22 near Messrs. Enoch Taylor and Co.'s boot factory, Botany. During the early part of the morning Mr. Joseph Henry Saxby. the firm's accountant, and Mr. Headly Clark, another employee, left- the factory for the purpose of drawing tlio money necessary to pay the weekly wages. After transacting tlio business they left the .Bank of Australasia with between £300 and £4-00 in their possession, and then proceeded in an electric tram to the railway station, where they caught the tram for Botany. The journey to Bay-street was made without- incident, but while crossing a vacant piece of ground at the rear of the Waterworks Hotel they were bailed up by an armed masked man on horseback, who demanded the money they had in their possession. The locality where the attempt was made is thickly populated, with houses situated on either side of the road, but at the time of the attempt there was no one in the vicinity, this being accounted for by the fact that it was the dinner hour. The masked man drew a revolver and pointed it, at Mr. Saxby. at the same time saying. "Bail tip; drop that bag." Ml. Saxby replied that he would not, and immediately ran away, carrying the bag with him. At this moment the robber discharged his revolver at Mr. Saxby. but happily the bullet just missed him and struck the fence some distance away. Mr. Saxby, being unarmed, was unable to defend himself, but his companion had a revolver, which he immediately drew and fired at the assailant. The bullet missed its mark. The assailant continued to pursue Mr. Saxby, who endeavoured to gain an entrance to one of tho yards, but found the gates locked. Mr. Clark followed the robber and fired two more shots at him, which were promptly leturned by the assailant. When Mr. Saxby found that the gates were locked, he doubled on his tracks, and the man attempted to act ahead of him, but the fugitive managed to reach Mr. Appleton's gate, which was open, and he immediately ran in. By this time the man had got within a few yards of Mr. Saxby, and as be was getting through the gate he was heard to say, "Now I have got you," and fired, but the bullet embedded itself in the gate. At this time Mr. Clark was standing in the road endeavouring lo trot a good shot at- the man. (In seeing .'Mr. Clark the man charged him and fired <.wi> shots at him, which went within an inch "f their mark. (hie of the shots just passed Mr. Clark's head, whilst the second struck tiie ground at his feet. By this time a number of men, who wore working in the vicinity, had been attracted by the phots, and appeared on the scone armed with stones, etc., n. <1 the robber galloped away. While passing along he saw Mr. Clark, who had run in'o Mr. Kcsin's yard, and fired a final slot, which was promptly returned, but neither shots did any damage.