AFFRAY WITH BURGLARS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 17

AFFRAY WITH BURGLARS.

Press Association— By Telegraph— Copyright. Sydney, February 2. An affray took place at an early hour t his morning in Bridge street between the police and a gang of burglars. Constables Ball, M'Cort, and Lyons shadowed three men whom they saw leavirg the Union Steam Ship Company's offices. When the two parties gjt close together thebnrglars turned round and drew their "jemmies," felling M'Cort and Lyons with crushing blows on the head. Bal', who evaded several of the blows directed at him, started in pursuit of the meo, when one of the latter drew a revolver, but did not fire it. Several other constables now joined in the hunt, and after a desperate struggle, in which two more constables were severely injured, two of the burglars were captured, but the third succeeded in making his escape. It is thought that the burglars expected to take a lot of cash in the Union Company's office in the phape of passengor fares by the Mararoa, which left for Auckland yesterday, but they were distarbed before they got anything. The four constables who were injured were taken to the hospital, and at tbe latest accounts wero in a serious condition. The burglars arebeliev6d to be well-known Victorian criminals, but nothing is known by the police here about them, except that one named Montgomery is a native of New Zealand. Although the robbers got nothing they had succeeded in cutting the back., out of the safe. They will be charged with unlawfully wounding and attempted murder. The Premier visited the injured policemen in the hospital. One of them (Bowden) is in a very serious condition. Sir G E. Dibbs has issued instructions to immediately arm the police with revolvers. It has been decided to substantially reward the men for their courage.