ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13206, 13 February 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

■ **. A REMARKABLE CASE. AN EXCITING CHASE AND CAPTURE, CHRISTCHUKCH, January 31. • A remarkably audacious attempt at robbery under arms occurred in the city this afternoon, G. 'I'. White's jeweller's shop, Colombo street, being tho sceno of the extraordinary affair. During the afternoon the assistants in the shop noticed a.man hanging about outside, and alxmt half-past o he enterod tho shop. Mr White, jun., prepared to servo him, and was surprised to see tho visitor produce a revolver, at the same time issuing the command, " Hands up!" Mr Edsor, who was also in the shop, was at once covered and recoived the same command. Bath assistants smiled, taking the affair as a joko; but tho visitor soon showed ho was ill earnest, and their hands had to go up. The master of tho situation calmly helped himself to the contents of tho till, some £3 •or £4, and was investigating somo gold watchos, when Mr White, sen., looked in from 'lie back of the premises. He retired quickly to seek 'assistance. Just as a lady customer opened the door, which the roblmr had carefully closcd behind him on entering, tho robber made off into Colombo street, the assistants quickly giving chase, and people in the vicinity joining in. Tho quarry ran along Colombo and . Gloucester streets, through the Lyttclton Times right-of-way and Cathedral square into 'Worcester street, where he sought refuge. A largo crowd had gathered, and soon routed him out i from a tool-shed, behind a door, but tho revolver kept them at a respectful distance. The object of the search passed on towards Gloucester street, and the pursuit was resumed; but two shots from the revolver, which, fortunately, had no effect, damped tho ardour of many. The chase reached Manchester street; but here again a halt was callod, the quarry turning .and firing at a man named John Guthrie, tho bullet grazing his loft arm. After going north as far-as the river, tho ■ robber headed towards the Foresters' Hotol, and, jumping the fence, was lost to sight in tho buildings at the back, but his prescnci was made known by another shot.

Detectives Ward and Bishop ran him to earth in a small shed near the hotel, but their demands to surrender were met by more flourishing of the revolvor. From a small window at tho back of tho shed Detective Ward was able to knock the man down with a pieco of coal, and lie was secured and removed to the police station amid tho hooting of the crowd. Ho gavo the name of Philip White, and stated that he was an Australian. He seemed rather proud of the exploit, and told the police that in Australia the crowd would have cheered instead of hooting him. lie had evidently thrown away the proceeds of the robbery during bis flisjht, as, except tho revolver and cartridges, little was found on him. Ho was charged also'with having recently broken into F. T. Pannell's jeweller's shop, Manchester street, and Dr Manning's residence, and admitted the thefts, indicating where the stolen property could be found.

Philip White, who is a thick-built, cleansliavon, and somewhat coarse-featured youth of middle height, about 23 years of age, pleaded "guilty" at' the Police Court to the two charges of house-breaking.