BURGLARY IN THE CITY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3327, 8 January 1898, Page 2

BURGLARY IN THE CITY.

MESSRS MORISON SAND LOUGHNAN’S OFFICE BROKEN INiO.

CLFVER DETECTIVE WORK.

It was thought that as no oas'a of entering houses had been reported tor soaue little time, Wellington was enjoying immunity from the presence of undesirable characters. The Christmas holidays, however, afforded an opportunity for any 1,7 “0 might bo about to try their hand, but pniy one case has come to our notice. 0 l-arn that somb time after the 2 >th December last the offices of Messis Morison and Loughnai, s'olcitora* Foatherston st.oet, wore broken into and a quantity of goods extracted- i-ye legal vacation had commenced, and this was of course known to th:so who perpetrated the d>;ed. So is known no person connected with the establishment visited it between the 2ith and the 31st December. Iho person who looked in then waa William Crouch, the man who is engaged to clean out the building. On going inside he found that the back window of the premises bad been broken open. The remains of the panes of glass were lying on the floor inside the room and the framework of the window shoved np from the bottom. On makitg further investigation ho discovered that a large box had been drawn from the front of the room to the window and prised open, a quantity of the contents being removed. J his box was crammed full of clothing of considerable value. It might bo mentioned that a short time ago, when MrC. Longhnan, one of the partners of the firm, broke up house m Wellington, a quantity of in the office. On seeing what had occurred Crouch looked the office and proceeded to the Lambton quay police station to report the matter. Ho met Detective Neill in the street, howovor, and a thorough examination of Messrs Morison and Longhnan. a premises followed. Crouch was unable to say what had been stolen, and as the members of the firm and the chief clerk wore absent ou their holidays the detective was at a considerable disad vain ago. -the chief clerk, Mr Somerville. returned from Christchurch on Thursday, and on the circumstances being made known to nun lie ascertained that a largo portmanteau, which had been lying in the building for some little time, was missing. Mr Somorvi.le did not know what it contained, and Mr Longhnan had not yet returned from Hawke a -pay* There waa very little in the way of direct evidence to go upon, but on the same day a number of the articles missing from the box were recovered. And it might be mentioned that they were not secured trom any second* hand or pawnshop, having been disposed of privately. Yesterday morning Detectives Neill and firobergaot to Work and before 10 o’clock had a niaii named mlliAm Edward Perry locked up in connection with the affair. Believing that there were others implicated the detectives searched the city, and at 7 o’clock last night arrested one George Bertram Johcston. and an hour later Frederick Arnold, known as “Dutoby’ Arnold, iho trio were charged with breaking icto and stealing from the premises already mentioned property of the value of .£2O. VV hen the owner of the missing property arrives tonight it will bo ascertained what the real va'uo is; it is certainly of a much larger amount than that stated. An examination of the scene of bnr* glary shows that those who took part m the affair had to scale a high gate and walk down a narrow passage between the National Dank and the premises entered. The prisoners will be brought before the Magistrate this morning, when a remand will bo applied for by the police, in order that the oise against the men may be investigated.