Exciting Arrest at Eltham.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 157, 3 January 1896, Page 3

Exciting Arrest at Eltham.

The travelling correspondent to the Star says ;—On Monday evening last at about 8.30, considerable excitement was occasioned in Elthara by a man named Lang, who is supposed to be slightly insane—better known as the “ Wild Irishman,” from his peculiar manner of singing at the top of his voice late at night-—upon whom Constable Simpson was endeavoring to execute a warrant of arrest. The constable met Lang at Staunera Bros, butcher shop, and upon bis attempting to arrest him, Lang, who is a very powerful man, standing about 6ft Sin, somehow tripped the constable and struck him heavily on the neck, staggering him for the time, and jambing him against the cutting block. Upon several of the by-standers coming to the assistance of the constable, Lang seized one of the butcher’s knives, with which he cleared the shop, using some very strong language. After some persuasion, Mr T. Stanners got the knife flora him on the pretence of cutting up some moat, whereupon Lang took up the cleaver, and held the constable at bay. Mr P. McCarthy who was acquainted with Lang, after a lot of coaxing got him to put the chopper down on the plea of going home. As soon as ho did this Constable Simpson grappled with him, and with the assistance of some of the onlookers, after a hard struggle, succeeded in getting the handcuffs on him and lashing his legs together. There being no gaol at Eltham or place suitable for the purpose, Constable Simpson conveyed him to Stratford in a buggy, and lodged him safely in gaol there. This case should bring the matter of erecting a lock-up at Eltham before the officials and show them the necessity of having the work put in hand at once. It is now about 12 months since it was decided to erect the lock-up but the matter seems to have dropped. A constable without a lockup is almost powerless, especially if there happened to be more than one offender, and it puts him in a very awkward position.