ANOTHER CITY BURGLARY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4331, 15 April 1901, Page 5

ANOTHER CITY BURGLARY

SMART CAPTURE BY THE POLICE. Shortly before midnight on Saturday Night watchman Jenkins, in the course of his rounds, looked into the yard behind Messrs J. Nathan and Co.’s Foatherston street premises. The entrance to the yard is by a large gateway between -Messrs Henderson and Hume’s chambers and the premises occupied by Messrs Marsden and Kenny, carriers, in Grey street. Tire yard lead-; properly to a storehouse belonging to the firm, but a window in tbet Featherston street building looks Into it. As Jenkins passed np the yard, flashing his light, he noticed something was wrong. Proceeding to investigate, he was for a moment 1 brown off his balance by a man who sprang from the shadows and darted past him down the passage and out into Grey street. Jenkins at once gave chase, and pursued the man round the Post Office block, hoping to drive his quarry into a policeman’s arms. He got away, however, and the night watchman returned to Grey street, blowing his whistle for assistance. In the meantime tho constable on the boat including Grey street had discovered that a burglary had been committed, and summoned his comrades. In a short space of time a number of police constables and a detective arrived on the scene. Mr J. M. Muir, the firms manager, was telephoned for by the police. It was rumoured that some of the escaped man’s confederates were concealed in the premises and the crowd grew feverish with excitement at the prospect of a man-hunt. A cordon of police was drawn round the exits, and Sergeant Norwood,. Detective Broberg and Mr Muir, who had his keys with him, entered the building, the latter half an hour after the police. The police went through the window forced by the burglars, and Mr Muir hy the Featherston street entrance, and proceeded to; search the basement, armed with hull-eyed lanterns. After searching for nearly an hour the efforts of the party were rewarded by the capture of a man, who quietly submitted to be handcuffed, and gave his name, as Alfred Burrell. The man. a powerfully-built fellow, had managed to conceal himself most ingeniously behind a pile of small boxes which had been pushed close up against the wall. The studs are very deep in the basement and about eighteen inches apart. Thb walls are 1111papered. Burrell .seems to have squeezed himself into a most’ uncomfortable crouching position between tim studs, after pulling the boxes into position again and arranging one of them so as to cover his head.

There is very little doubt that it was that easily-negotiable article*, tobacco, the burglars were after. Three boxes containing 201 b each were found in die yard, and another inside the' 1 window already mentioned ready' for .’’removal. Burrell had his coat and waistcoat off ready for a good night’s work. The other man believed to be implicated in the burglary, James Henry Cate, a labourer residing in Mblesworth street, was arrested at his residence at one o’clock this morning.