HIGHWAYMAN CAUGHT AT LAST.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9756, 22 July 1893, Page 2

HIGHWAYMAN CAUGHT AT LAST.

CHIEF SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

The highwayman captured on Thursday night is the principal topic of conversation wherever one goes, and tue many circumstances of the affair arc fully disjussed. Tho public are, however, pretty unanimour on ono point, and that ia tho plucky conduct of Mr H. Thomson and Mr C. Holmes

RECOGNITION BY PUBLIC.

When Mr Thomson entered the Alexandra Hall to witness the concert on Friday night he was accorded three cheers, which were called for by Mr J, Paul, and heartily responded to by those present.

WIRE 3 FROM PREMIER.

On Friday evening Mr Thomson uud Mr Holmes received wires from the Premier congratulating them on their conduct and valuable services rendered to the colony. The telegram to Mr Thomson read as follows :—" Accept my warmest thanks for your coolness and bravery in effecting the capture of an armed highwayman last evening. lam very pleased indeed that you escaped serious injury. The valuable service rendered by jou to the colony shall be fittingly recognised. Your father, I feel sure, must be proud and will be pleased, for this highwayman escapade must have been a source of great anxiety. — R. J. Seddon." Inspector Thomson also received a telegram from the Premier, as follows: — ' I heartily congratulate you on the capture of the highwayman. The pleasure is al< the greater soeing the arreet was effected owing to the plucky conduct of your son Harold. You have every reason to feel proud of liiiu.- I am glad he escaped serious injury. — R J. Seddon." The telogram to Mr Holmes is appended : •-•-" Accept best thanks for good service rendered in assisting to effect the capture of the highwayman Later on I hope to be able to reward your plucky conduct in a fitting manner. — R. J. Seddon." Mr Thomson also received a telegram from his comrades in t!ie oftico of Messrs Brown, Skerrett, and Dean, solicitors, of Wellington, where ho was employed prior I to coming hero. The telegram reads as follows :— " All the Btaff feel proud of you ; hope you are not seriously hurt. — i A. F. Wiben," ' OTHER CHARGES AGAINST ACCUSKD. There are reports that other charges will be brought against accused, and from what can be gathered from the police there is perhaps some foundation for them; but the police are rcthent on the matter. CONDUCT OF ACCUSED. When being taken to the gaol on Friday morning the accused kissed nis hand gaily at almost everyone ho and bis escort passed, and conducted himself in a manner that left the improssiou that ho seemed rathor elevated at the notoriety ho had so suddenly achieved. COUNSEL FOR DEFENCE. MrT. Shailer Weston has boon retained as counsel for the accused. DEMAND FOR REVOLVERS. Since the highwayman Bcaro was initiated, whicli was on Easter Monday evening, 1802, a largo number o£ revolvers havo boon sold in town. One ironmonger informed our representative that it wub astonishing the number of shooting irons ho himself had sold during tuo past 15 months. . ROBERT WALLATH'S CAREER. The father of tho accused, Mr Herman Wallath, builder, of Westown, gives somu particulars of his son's career. He atatcs that his son Robert Herman Wallath, was born in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, being row about 20 yearß of age. As a child he was delicate. About 15 years ago lie came with his family to Wellington, his sou then being 5 or 6 years old, and atter a phort residenco there Mr Wallath came on hero to settle down. Ho sent his son lo school here, uud during his schoolboy days young Wallath became well known in the town. Hia father stales that at times he has shown an irritable disposition, but acting on modical advice ho used/ to give in.to his son's ways hoping that he would eventually grow out of the disposition he showed. Some eighteen montnsago Robert was poisoned by something he bad taken while harvesting. Dr Leatiiam came to that conclusion when lie saw him Since that time Mr Wallath states that hia son became worse in his temper, and alter some disagreements they had mutually agned that next Christmas his son should leave, and go elsewhore for the purpose of gaining experience. Mr Wallath also dwelt on tho fact that his son always carefully kept Lia room locked, and had gone as far as to threaten members of the family that ho would blow their brains out if they entered his room, Affor referring to the habit that his son had of reading b^oks of a romantic order, Mr Wallath states that about 9.30 o'clock on Thursday uight ho left his son reading a book, uud he then told him to desiat reading such trash On Friday morning ho knocked ut his son's room to awake him, but receiving no replies to his knocks, ho opened the window and went in, when he w*s startled to discover that his son had not slept in the bed. He told his wife of the occurrence, and she became frightened, and thought he might have been drowned in the lagoon where he used to boat. However, in further search he discovered that the horse and saddle were missing, and then becoming alarmed he and his son Harry camo into town. They first went to tho pound, but found ! no horse there, but on their way down Robe-atreit they found a horse hitched up to a t«ee in the Marsland Hill reserve, uud on going over they' found it was thHrs. Mr Wallath now became thoroughly alarmed, and hurried to tho police station, where ho was stuggorcd to learn that his son had been orrostcd as th-j highwayman. When tho polico went to his houso on Friday morning and searched his son's loom, Mr Wallath facilitated tho 8 arch us much as possible.

ARTICLES FOUND.

It ia alleged that articles fouud in the room connect Robert Wallath with another clans of crime that has frequently been perpotratod of late. In one imho it is wellknown thot ho repaired a door after the promises had been broken into, and the questions ho asked and hits gotiural demeanor on that occasion did uul cicalo I he slightest suspicion.

TUB THURSDAY NIGHT INUIIUSNT.

Mih Cottior displayed groat eoolnosn ot Thursday eight, ami must bo eommeuded for her^presoneo of mind. In tlio liral place Mrs Cottier must have been placed in a trying position by having a r volvor placed within a short distance of her face by a person who mimt ha\o looked douidodly unuuuuy with hisfuutaotic uniforui mask, aud bhek beard; and secondly when the sciiHle took plate itud Wallalh way secured Mrs Cottier kept her proftenco of mind and did all she could to rovivo the highwayman, who had apparently fuint.d after his violent oxertions. ftlr Penny, of the Bank of New Zealand, was with Messrs Thomson and Holmes in the hotel, and when the scufflo enEued ho ran out to acquaint the poliso of what wutt transpiring. When Thomson threw him tho highwayman kicked in a violout manner, and it took tho united efforts of iVlcsara I uomson,

Holmes, and Okoy, to prevent him regaining his freedom. WIRE TO INSPECTOR THOMSON. It is understood tbat Inspector Thomson has received a wire from tbe Premier, congratnlatiog him on the arrest of the highwayman and tho plucky conduct of his son. THE TESTIMONIAL fund in town is in tho hands of Mr J-imos Butterworth, who, so fur, lins met with a ready reßponso from the public. THE DEEDS OF " GENTLEMAN GEORGE. It is roported that the accused was very fond of recounting tho deeds of " Gentleman George," a Knight of the road, whose imaginary deeds were duly set forth in the pages of a book that he had been reading.