CAPTURE OF THE TARANAKI HIGHWAYMAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9797, 22 July 1893, Page 4

CAPTURE OF THE TARANAKI HIGHWAYMAN.

(J?eb Uhited Pbess Association.) New Plymouth, July 21. The highwayman was caught last night. At about 11 o'clock he bailed up the Criterion Hotel, and presented a pistol at Mrs Cottier. Inspector Thomson's son, Harold, who was in the hotel, knocked the man down. The highwayman fired, woundingjyoung Thomson in the side, but not ; seriously .~~A"ssistajice being at hand, the man was secured till tlie~ police arrived^ The man's name is Wallath. He was dressed in volunteer uniform, and had two revolvers loaded. He was-brought up at the Police Court this morning.

Mrs Cottier says that she was standing at the. door talking to Mr Simmons when the highwayman came in. He presented a revolver at her, saying "Bail up!" She, thinking it was a joke, smiled and said "Pass on." She thought it was some volunteer in. uniform having a lark, and did not feel in the least frightened. He passed on, and shortly afterwards she heard a shot fired. She then called outforhelp, and someone said "I believe Mrs Cottier is shot." Sho went to the staircase, and saw the man being held on the floor. Her husband was not very well, and was in bed at the time. Chafles Holmes states that he was at the bide of the bar, when be saw afc the opposite end a man dressed in uniform, wearing a red tunic, and with a mask over his face. The man went up the passage, and young Mr Thomson ran to meet him. He (Holmes) followed Thomson, who tackled him; but the man fired the moment Thomson rushed afc him. Holmes went to Thomson's assistance, and caught.hold of the revolver. It, was fiyechambered, and four of its chambers were loaded and capped when he secured it. The man had another revolver in his belt. In the struggle the whole of them fell, but they' managed to retain their hold of the highwayman till he was handcuffed by the police. He made a desperate struggle. Dr O'Connor states that young Thomson received a couple of leaden pellets, but the wound is a comparatively slight one. He, however, had a narrow escape, as the doctor thinks that Wallath fired at his heart, but itt the struggle the charge glanced off about five inches. In the lock-up the doctor examined the prisoner, who shows signs' of having been kicked on the fight leg, or struck with a heavy stick. He told Dr O'Connor that he would have made it hot for them if it had not been for Thomson. Thomson's account of the affair is that while ha was ia the Criterion bar he saw a man enter in military uniform and point a revolver afc Mrs Cottier. Someone called out "It's thehighwayr man," asd he beard Mrs Cottier tell the man to move on. Vv'iiriath went along the passage, and he (Thomson) ran ronnd to meet him, they meeting at the foot of the staircase. Wallath then fired his revolver at Thomson, who was hit in the lef 6 side, but he rushed at the man and seized him by the throat. A severe struggle ensued, daring which Thomson struck his antagonist. Holmes then came tohis assistance, and Wallath was thrown on- the floor, being kept there till the police arrived. Wallath appeared at the Police Court this morning, and was charged with firing at Thomson with intent to kill him, and remanded for a week, bail being refused. • The polios have obtained evidence clearly connecting prisoner, Robert Wallath, with the person who appeared as a highwayman on a former occasion; also as being connected with several burglaries recently committed in New Plymouth. A singular part of the affair is that he was employed by Furlong; hairdresser, to secure the door of a shop by fixiDg a heavy iron bar inside. A few days afterwards FurloDg's place was broken into by someone boring through the weatherboards and re* moving the iron bar. The police found some of the things stolen from Furlong's in prisoner a bedroom, thus indicating that prisoner was the man who committed the burglary. He was afterwards employed by Furlong to repair the damage which the evidence now shows that he had himself committed.