THE MAN IN POSSESSION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 314, 26 April 1877, Page 3

THE MAN IN POSSESSION.

considerable commotion was occasioned in Eteeftoa ai". a late hour on WeitiißStiay wei- k, in consent rice of a report y lft t n safe ia the office of IVIr. L* P»vies, iharebrokwr, hail been opened or broken into and the contents abstracted. The piu'ticulnrs of the occurrence, as detailed L tli« Thw.i reporter, are as follows : ()n Saturday last! Mr. ra.rupbell, iwunb for the Bank of Jftnv Zealand, in mirswrnce of a distress warrant issued at thu »nit of the fUnk of Jfew Zealand v.

Navies, proceeded with thy bail ill' of the !w;il Court to Mr. L Davids' o'Kw and (utile possession of the contents ; Mr. Diivitss was absent at the time. An in*

wntoi'V having been taken, the bail ill' sucjusti'il t'-at Pavies'clerk, should be allowed !n remain in possession as sub«bailiit. T<-> >hi» Campbell,, however, objected, and imH'tliii'.jly a man na.iued Peter Johnston nut placed, in possession. ftefore leavnil Campbell secured the olHee safe in :|le customary way l>y placing a seal over ;]lo key-hole "and passing a tape round- the life and sealing it to the lloor. All went, mil until Wednesday afternoon., when I'yinperle.y called at the bank and appliedin bulia.lt of Pavies for permission to open ho Siifu. Campbell yave the bail ill; strict iistmctions not on any account to- allow lio safe to he opened, but to procure the ;oy«, and the hank would open and eXanine the contents of the safe. Teniperley lum left, and- Campbell visited- the preuiscs at 8 o'clock at ni''ht to see that all rim riu'ht. knocking at the oMieedoor iu obtained m> response, bat proceeding it Hie hack of the premises obtained- admittance. and upon eutmmf found Teinm'lry. the bail ill', asleep ia a chair, loinjsido the safe, the latter pi'ii, and the contents uussiuu'. Camp!'Jt shook tin; baililt' vi-'onrously, bat "■ inuio time could only e'et out of .iflf a few incoherent utterances. The nh-liailill' (.Johnston) shortly appeared on he scene, and upon beiuu' interrogated l'>y Jiuupboll, said that- Pavies* and TemperleV mil entered the otliee together, Teniperley allocking the safe,, and allowing panes i) take away the contents. He (Johntoil) said that he thought every thin',' was uttlcd, and therefore did not interfere, ,U(l sul)Hei|ueuHy went to tea,, loavt UiC ia charge, and- knew nothing urtlici- about the transactions. Upon

Punipcrloy awakening snlKciently, lit; wiw* wkoil I>y Campbell fur an ex.p'au.vtL'>u, flieu ho said that ho had opened (die safe la aa nlliout* of the Court, which he cun* liderod ho wast wtxftifcltuL (*■<> do. E£i'.:h Vopcl» ensued, which culminated in the iailill' fclw't'iilH'uiti'/ l".»> throw Campbell into t crock which rmifi close by. <<';uupbell vitlrdrew, tit formal complaint of the tailiirs coivlnet ha* been laid l>y thy r>ank >ufovc the Minister of Justice.