A JUVENILE BUSHRANGER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 7 November 1907, Page 2

A JUVENILE BUSHRANGER.

Per Press Association. Auckland, Wednesday. William James Crombie, a boy bushranger, when before the Court to-day pleaded guilty to horse-stealing and attempted robbery from a young lady at whom he presented a pistol. She said she was not frightened, but smacked his face and he ran away. A Drury settler named Mr. Clarke related that Crombie presented a gun and demanded £4O. Crombie fired two shots with blank cartridges and continued to threaten Clarke, who sent to the house for his purse, which he handed to Crombie. At the same time he knocked up his gun, downed him, and sat on his chest. The case is proceeding. Later. Crombie, under oath said that he was fifteen years and eight months of age, a native of Auckland, and left school four years ago, being then in the fourth standard. Since then he had been working on various farms. He left his last employer, Mr. McLcod, of Hclensville, with £2 10s in his pocket, and came to town. That night he went to see the '■Starlight" pictures, and thought that j the idea was rather a good one to folI low. He went to a place in Symondsstreet and bought a revolver and 25 cartridges, explaining to the shopkeeper that the pigs were troublesome up his way, and took train again for Helensville. He then stole the horse and equipment and came to town, like Starlight, to sell the horse. ' His first intention was to travel overland to Wellington and stick up people on the way. In connection with the affair at Mr. Clarke's, he fired two shots in the air, and afterwards, when Mr. Clarke knocked up his arm, the revolver went off again. He never had any intention of harming anyone, but just to frighten. The accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.