SENSATIONAL AFFAIR WITH BURGLARS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 17

SENSATIONAL AFFAIR WITH BURGLARS.

FIVE POLICEMEN INJURED.

An encounter of a sensational character took place in the heart of Sydney, early on the morning of the 2nd insb., between the police and a gang of armed burglars. Shortly after 2 o'clock Senior-constables M'Court and Ball, whilst on duty in Bridge street, saw three men make their exit from the Union Steam Ship Company's premises. The suspicions of the officers being aroused, they at once followed and quickly overtook the burglars, one of whom suddenly turned, and with a heavy jemmy struck M'Court a stunning blow on the head, felling him senseless to the ground. He next aimed a blow at Ball, but the latter luckily avoided it. The men then took to their heels, pursued by Ball, who was shouting for help. In response to his cries Constable Lyons, who was on duty at the Lands Office, corner of Loftus street, tried to intercept the runaways, but was knocked over with a jemmy, the blow from which broke his forearm, put up to guard his head. Ball still kept up the chase along Bent street, but before going much further one of the pursued turned on him and drawing a revolver threatened to shoot him. The burglar, however, thought better of it, and resumed his flight. Constable Bowden, stationed at the Colonial Secretary's office, next appeared on bhe scene, but before ho could render any assistance he was knocked down and leEt with a fractured skull. A number of cabmen gathered at the corner of Bent street caused the fugitives to turn along Young street, Ball still following them. At the junction of Young and Phillip streets Constables Taylor and Alford were encountered, and they too were disabled by stunning blows on the head from a jemmy, and about this time the third man left his two companions and apparently got away into the Domain, as he was not again seen. The other two burglars kept on at a smart run down Phillip street, in which the Water Police Court is situated. The officers on duty there had been pub on the alert by Ball's warning cries of " police," and as the fugitives came tearing down the street Senior-constable Scott and Constables Daniel, M'CraclceD, and Chapel turned out. Scott attacked the taller of the two burglars, who again tried to use a revolver, but it was wrested from him. A de3perate struggle followed before the two men could be overpowered and dragged into the police station. On being examined each was tound to be carrying an inch thick jommy 3ft long. A revolver, loaded in five chambers, was tound on the bigger man, who had used his iron bar so effectively. A number of penknife blades, formed into small sa ws, and a •'masterpiece," the burglar's instruments for opening locks, were found in their pockets.

When the burglars had been locked up attention was given to the wounded constables, who were removed to the hospital. Bowden was found to be suffering from a deep wound above the left ear, which had fractured the skull. He also had a wound 3in long above the left eye, which had laid the skull bare. Lyons had received a serious scalp wound and had his left forearm fractured. Taylor had a wound at the back of his head 2in long and an abrasion of the nose. Alford had a wound on the head 4in long extending to the bone, and M'Court a wound 2in long on the forehead. Ball escaped wikh a few bruises. Bowden lies in a very serious condition in the hospital. Dr Maitland ! pti-:ortn«(i an operate v on Mm, removing a i_pi> 'JO oi iraotuti d bone.

J UiiQ Water Vohcu Cour^ and its prfdnets v/"C(] Iv?cty t.Tj-IWlvi' «llt i' 1"ho M"O raru v.'i'tf brought up. They ga\ i; ibtir naniC3 as Charis o Montgomery, aged 30, and Thomas Williams, aged 21. Tbty were chnrged together with, breaking and entering the premises of the Union Steam Ship Company, and separately with having maliciously wounded >Seuiorconstable M'Court and Constable Alford, with intent to murder. On the application of Senior-constable Ball they were remanded for a week.

Montgomery is a big and powerful man, a well known Melbourne criminal, whose real name is Millidge. He began his criminal career at the age of 13. In 1885 he was one of the armed gang who made the notorious attack on the manager of the Simpson's road bank, and for his share in that outrage he was sent to Pentridge for six years. Williams is also a Melbourne criminal, and the Melbourne police believe they were counected with the recent burglaries from the bookmakers Allen and Levy.

The presence of the burglars on the Union Company's premises was first discovered by Constable M 'Arthur, who, about 2 o'clock, with the watchman for the company, William Pooley, on tryiDg a back door, found that it had been tampered with. Evidently the noise they made caused the burglars to become alarmed, as they were heard moving about, and escaped a few minutes later by the front door. An examination of the premises showed that they had been completely ransacked. A large safe had been thrown over on its face, and the back partly chiselled out. Two other smaller eafes had been moved oub of their places, bub not broken open. All the drawers in the manager's room had also been turned oub, but after all their trouble the robbers failed to secure any booty. A numbor of silver watches in the safe and a small cashbox containiug cheques they evidently considered btneath their notice, as they left them behind. The theory of the Union Company's officials is that the burglars expected a big haul as the result of the departure yesterday of the steamer Mararoa with a heavy passenger list, representing a large sum of money. In this, however, the burglars were sorely disappointed, as the company make a practice of daily banking all moneys. The part which Senior-constable Ball took in the capture was very plucky. He not only kept up the chase from start to finish, and gave the warning which led to the arrest, but before the water police turned out he had got Montgomery down. They were rolling over and struggling in the street when Senior-constable Scott rushed up and floored Montgomery, just as the latter, who had got on the top of Bal', was about to deal him a blow with his jemmy. The city and suburban police are to be mcc liberally armed with revolvers in order to ccpa with desperadoes. The inspector-general had an interview with the Premier, and Sir George Dibbs insisted on the arming of the police.