ATTEMPTED HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 34

ATTEMPTED HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

FAIRFAX LADY'S ESCAPE. THE OFFENDER CAPTURED. Henry Joseph Hands, aged" years, was arrested by the police on Saturday afternoon between Fairfax and the Ocean Beach. He had a horse, saddle, and. "bridle in his" possession, which he is alleged to have stolen. It ,- s. further alleged that he broke into four shops at Milton last Week, the bookstall on the railway station being one of them, and stole goods from each place. Another and a more serious charge will be made against the youth. It is said that as a Miss Brownlie was walking along the •Southbridge road on Saturday afternoon ■she- heard some person coming up behindher. Her handbag was grasped, but she managed to retain her hold of it. and, turning round,- she found herself face to face_ with a masked youth, who was presenting a revolver at her. She" screamed and called for ■ help, and the youth then decamped. The handbag contained £7. .Later in the- day the boy was arrested. Detective Mitchell, in company with Constable M'Rae, of Milton, had been searching for him, and on Saturday, afternoon they were in the vicinity of Fairfax. A description of the youth had been given to a number of persons. One of these was Wm. Graham, a resident, who'.noticed the young fellow, about 4.30 p.irL, walking in the direction of the Ocean Beach. He chased and caught him, and later on handed» him over to Detective Mitchell and Constable M'Rae. On being searched it was found the boy was carrying a seven-chambered revolver (fully loaded), a sheatn knife, and a mask. Being accused of the offences above referred "to, he admitted them, and took the officers to a spot where he had hidden the proceeds of some of the robberies. AN ARMED AND MASKED YOUTH. A youth stated to be years old was brought before Mr Widdowson, S.M., sitting of the Juvenile- Court on Monday, charged with breaking into the premises of Robert Robertson, t at Milton, between the 19th and 21st inst, and stealing therefrom 13s in cash, some cigarettes and l matches, valued in all at 265. Chief Detective Herbert said that there were other serious charges that would be brought' against the accused, including a second charge of breaking into Mr Robert- 0 son's bookseller's shop and stealing goods to the value of £1 10s 6d. The accused l would be also charged with stealing a horse, saddle, and bridle, valued at £lO. and with breaking into the premises of John Reid, Milton, and stealing cigarettes to the value of 10s 6d. He would further be charged with an attempt to steal £7 from Miss Brownlie last Saturday afternoon. It was alleged that the young lady was walking along the Southbridge road: alone about 11 a.m., when she felt a pull. at her handbag, which contained £7 in cash. The attempt was made by a young man with a mask over his face. When demanding her bag he presented a revolverat her, but as she resisted and screamed the assailant ran away. In the afternoon of the same day a resident named William G-rahamsaw the accused, and, judging him to be Miss Brownlie's assailant, gave chase, captured him, and handed the lad over to Detective Mitchell, who was on his tracks. When arrested the boy admitted the offences named, and told the police whore the stolen horse and other puipc-rty were. He said it bad been his intention to ride to Mataura, where he had been -.-n-ployed before the Christmas holidays. The revolver found on hiir was fu'ly loaded and he also carried a shr uth-knife. Acoused was remanded till the 31*.:; inst., bail bcine: fixed at £SO for himself and two sureties of £25 each.