TARANAKI HIGHWAYMAN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9757, 24 July 1893, Page 2

TARANAKI HIGHWAYMAN.

■ » HISTORY OF HIS SEVERAL EXPLOITS. ROBBERIES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED. ( It is now fifteen months since a rather sensational case of .sticking up was reported to the police, and since then a mysterious individual, attired in a Volunteer uniform, with mask on face, has caused considerable alarm by "bailing up" people, and even taking from them small sums of money. There was a species of romance over the whole affair, for the individual evidently did not belong to the criminal class, and his exploits being erratic, the police were baffled in their efforts to trace out who it was that was thus creating an alarm throaghout the district. CARRINGTON ROAD ROBBERY. The first appearance of this mysterious individual was on the afternoon of Easter Monday, April lltb, 1892. Mr Henry Jordan, a settler liviog on the Carrington Road, left town, where ho had been attending the athletic sports in the Recreation Grounds, riding home on horseback; and when about a mile and a-half from New Plymouth a man rode out from the side of a hedge and called out — " Halt ! I demand your money, or I'll put a bullet through your braina ! " at the same time presenting a revolver at the astonished settler. The man. wore a mask, and was dressed in a rod coat and dark trousers with a red Btripo down the logs, having on his head a small round tight fitting cap. At his side he carried a sword, and in his belt had a revolvor. The horse he was riding was a bay or dark chestnut. On being ordered to doliver up his money, Mr Jordan drew out his parse, which contained a few shilliaga and some papers, and opened it for the purpose of taking out of the coin. This, howevor, did not suit the highwayman, who demanded that the purse should bo handed over with all its contents, which was done. The highwayman next ordered Mr Jordan to turn out his pockets, and boing certain that there was nothing moro to bo got, he ordered the settler to ride up the road and warned him not to look back, if he valued his life. The mysterious in dividual then wheeled his horse round and rode back towards town. This all hap pened about 5,10 p.m., in broad daylight. Mr W. Phillips, who was riding homo the saiuo road, saw the man in company with Mr Jordan, uud also saw him leave him and ride away, but until he overtook Mr Jordan he had no idea that a highway robbery had been committed. In view of the dramatic manner in which the " sticking up " was carried out it was looked upon as a joke, but it nevertheless caused a great deal of uneasiness to many persons who lived on the outskirts of the town, women and children being especially startled. The police were most active in their enquiries, but failed to obtaiu any cluo as to the identity of the armed and fantastically-dressed robber. MR CAiUUCK'S HOUSE ATTACKED Tho next al .rm was owing to a report brought into town on May 26, 18'J2, by Mr George Carried, a settlor living on the Mdngoiei road, that an attempt 1 ad beon made to rob his house at about 2 o'clock in the morning. Mr Carrick stated ho heard some ono trying to get in at tho back door of bis house, and afterwards the front door was tried. Mr Carrick, who was in bed at the time, immediately roso, and taking down his double-barrel breech loading towiing piece, loaded tho two barrels and went out. When making a detour of the house he saw a man who pointed a revolver at Mr Carrick, and at the same time said "stand or I'll fire." On being thus addressed, Mr Carrick brought his fowling pieco to his shoulder and fired at the man. The man, according to Mr Carrick's account, staggered and fell on his aide letting out a groan as he aid so , but he immediately got up and aimed the revolver at Mr Carrick, who again fiied. Another man was then seen to come from the direction of an outhouso, and the two ran away. The polico devoted much time in trying to trace out the culprits, but failed to get any clue to thorn. OMATA TOLL GATE STUCK UP. On Saturday, July 2nd, the mysterious individual again made his appearance, when he Btuck up tbo tollgate at Otnata and carried away a card board box containing over £5 in silver. The tollgate keeper, Mr William Knight Collins, who is an elderly man and a cripple, state J to the polico that he was sitting in his house, which stands at the end of tho gate, aud was reading his newspaper, when a man of medium height und build in a volunteer uniform entered, and presenting a capped revolver at him demalidcd all the money he had, Mr Collins was startled, and opening a drawer in the table handed the man the silver. The man after getting tbo money walked backward towards the door and on reaching it took the key out of tho lock, eaying he intondod to lock Mr Collins in so that he could not follow him. The turnpike keeper told the intruder that he was a cripple and could notdo so, whereupon tho man threw tho key on tho table and left. Mr Oollinb' description of the man, as published at the time, is us follows: --" The man wore a bright awi I jt tunic, which was opened at the breaat, showing where it wuu hooked in fattening, and disclosed other clothes beneath, Ho wore a black mask drawn below tho chin, two holes being made in the material for tho eyes, and at his sido a sword ." MASQUERADING HIGHWAYMAN VISITS THE TOWN. The next exploit of this mysterious individual was> somewhat bold or than tho previous one, and occurred on tho night of Saturday, Octobor 291h. The man was riding towards the Henui, when meeting Mr Francis Carthow near tho Church ho demanded from him his money und valuables. Mr Carthew's account \o£ the affair which was published at tho time may bo amumuriaod as follows :— Mr Carthow was riding out of town, when fool ing cold, ho dismounted and led his horso. It was light, for the moon wus in i(n iirst quarter. When he got near To Henui Church it was about Ji.lfi p m. Hoio he mot a man mounto 1 on a scrubby buy pony with black points, the bridle boing a very shabby one. The man was dre&sud in a m litary tunic with white facing, dark troußers with white stripes down tbo sido of the legs, a helmet with a white band round it, and his face was covered in what appeared to be a greyish beard ; at his sido hung a sword. When they met the highwayman presented a revolver at Mr Carthow and Hiid "lmad over your money and vuluablee, or I'll kill you," whereupon he handed over three thrcopenny bits, all tin money he had übcut him. The man then said "what sort of watch have you got V To which Mr Carthow replied "An Eugliah lovor.' Tho mybtorious individual suid " then baud it ovor " which request was complied with. Mr Carthow stated further that tho man after asking him why ho wan walking, rode away in the direction of town, und Mr Carthow proceedod to tho resitlcnco of Mr G. Colson, to whom ho relutod what had occurred. Tho man of mystery tiion rodo towards Now Plymouth, passiug on his way several persons. When at the HoDui bridge ho " bailed up "Mr John Kibby, who stated thit after presenting his pistol tho man said " Halt ; . your money or your lifo." Mr Kibby said "I have no money, f i iend . lama poor working man, I have no money." Tho man said, "None, truly "(or suro). Mr Kibty replied, " I have no money, lam only a poor working mua. I am qu expressman," The

masked man then said. " You may go. I don't interfere with WO' king men." Tho highwayman then rode over the bridge and up Devon street in the direction of the town.

I The next man he Btopped was Mr James | Reynolds, who was walking a'ong the f footpath in Devon-street, near Eliot-street, I from whom he demanded money. Mr Reynolds assured the man he had none, when the modern Dick Turpin, in highly dramatic tone asked, J 1 Are you a workinjmaD|?'' The reply being in the affirmative, Mr Roynolds was told to go on, the man saying he had no wish to interfere with him, as ho was a working-man himself. The subsequent movements of the man were somewhat erratic. He rode into Eliot street, riding as far as Messrs White & Carter's store, and then turned round and rode back into Devou-slreet. Mr | Reynolds had in the meantime rushed into Mr Crocker's shop and told his tale. The highwayman was then seen to make a circuit at the junction of the two streets, as if he was undecided which way to go. There were several persons looking on at this time, and whilst they were considering what they should do under the circum- ! stances, the man rode away in the direction of the Henui, where he mot Mr Carthow and Mr G. Colson. It appears that Mr Cartbew, after being robbed, went to Mr Colon's house and told him of the affair. Mr Oolson then saddled up his horse, and the two started in pursuit of the highwayman, and came up with him on tho town Bide of the Henui. Tlio man perceiving he was being intercepted made up a side street going towards tho cemetery, when he was chased by tho two horsemen. Tho man went up Dawsonstreet, and turning off to the left into Leoch-Btreet, pussed the Caledonian Nursery. At the foot of Fort Niger the man being pursued, turned into a 'one that leads to Captain Capel's residence, and here Mr Colson stopped, as not being armed j even with a stick, he feared the man might j I tako ad vantage of big defenceless stale to fire J at him, so he rode into town and gave tho alarm. There was a great diversity of opinion amongst thoso who saw the man as to his appearance. Somo said that his helmet had a large plume on it, that he woro a mask, and that he had a red tunic. The description at that time pointed to the conclusion that tho man was arrayed in an old military uniform that had beou once worn by the Mountod Infantry Corps, and was a person of ratber slight aud small «ize. SEEN ON CARFUNGTON ROAD. On Sunday evening, October 30, a youth named John Corkin reported that a man mounted on a chestnut horse stuck him up on tho Carrington Road, but took nothing from him. Corkin stated the man wore a cocked hat, rod coat, and had his face covered by a mask. The man, he said, wore a sword at his sido, and carried a revolver. No one else saw the man on that night. WHITE HART HOTEL VISITED. On |Saturday, February 11th, 1893, tho masked man, who had been quiot for about three months, startled the community by another act of audacity, no loss than "sticking up" a numbor of men in the White Hart Hotel at 11 o'clock at ' niiht. The man tied his horse in the lano at the back o£ Messrs Shutlleworlh Bros, timber yard walked into the house by the private entrance in Queen-it, passing two or three persons who were ! standing in the passage. He then entered the bar through the bar parlor, presenting his pistol at Mr Charles Dickenson, who was in charge, Mr Jacob, the landlord, being away at tho time at Wanganui, on business. Mr F. Bullot's statemont of tho affair at tho time is to tho effect that ho was talking to tho barman over tho bar door in the passage of tho hotel on Saturday night just before closing time when he heard some one behind him say " bail up, give me money, for money I'll have," in a -commanding tone of voice. He turned round when he saw a man in a military uniform who pointed a revolver full in Mr Bullot's face. The man was about sft 9in in height, but ho bent his legs and thus made himself look shorter in atatUTe than ho really was. In build he was thin. On bis head he had a Jim Crow hat turned up at one side. He woro an officer's red tunic, which was open, exposing an officer's veßt artistically get off with buttons, and dark cloth trousers with a narrow strip of silverdown each log. He carried a major's sword at his side, tho scabbard being made of brass, and tho weapon in excel 'ent order. His boots were light ones, lika elastic sides, and on thorn woro a pair of spura. The muu was a couple of paces from Mr Bullot who looked full at his face which was, however, covered by somo dark material with hoi s cut in it for the eyes. Mr Bullot thought at the time it was some one playing a practical joke with him, in fact the wlwlo affair was co sudden tint he scarcely had time for reflect inn. After surveying Mr Bullot for some timo, all the while keeping him covered with thopistol, the man walked round him*. with a shuttling gait, keoping his knees bent as if to diminish hia height, nnd he then went into the bar parlour, whore two customers wero Bitting, and into tho bar, wbero he presonted tho revolver at Mr Charles Dickenson, tho barman, saying, •' Stand aside, or 1 11 blow your b y brains out." Mr Dickonßon quickly got out of the bar by tho door into tho passago whero Mr Bullot was. The man, without turning round, backed himself to tho end of tho passage behind tho bar, and after glancing round tho front of it, where there wero four customers sitting, ho picked up a little tray in which was somo small silver and emptied the contents into his loft hand, spilling some of the coin on the floor in doing bo. The man tlun reached to the top shelf, and took from thoro a bottle of Usher's whisky, which ho put under bis coat. He then walked out of tho bar by tho way bo came in, and out of the door into <,>uoon-Btroot, walking with a military atrirto, hia sword and spurs clinking aa ho wont. The man mounted his horso, which was in tho lane, and rodo across Covon-stiuet into Duwsun -street, passed tho Government Buildings in Powdor ham-6trect, and when near tho corner opposite the house of Mr W. Black, son , ho tired his pistol. The man was thou sup poßod to havo galloped along Powdorlnunstreet, over the bridgp, and along Courtonay street till reaching Govor street, where the saddle girth broke, the man being thrown, and the horse boltiug Mr E So'.o caught tho horco, and took it to a man who had s.ruck a match as if looking for something, but the m!>n ran away. Mr Solo thon picked up a saddle with a broken girth, and 10l Die hor.io iuti the yard of tho Rod llou^o Hotel, whero he hitched the auiinal up. A botllo h ilf full of whisky, evidently the ono taken from the -hell! of tho White Hart Hotel, was found next morning in Powderham ht-oot, near Mr J. Ward's cooperage. MU 11. BROWN'S OFFICE ROBBED. Ou Tuesday night, March 28, tlu oflico of Mr ll* Brown'« timber yard, in Liardetstrcet, was broken into, when £2 48 in cash and a promissory noto for £18 odd was carried away. N.Z. CLOTHING FACTORY ENTEKED On Saturday night, May 13, the New Zetland Clothing Factory's branch was burglariously entered by a back window, whan some lCs in silver was taken, out of the til). Tho burglar, who ever ho was, then tried the safe in which thoro was £80 in notes and cheques, but it proved too Btrong for him to break open. The man had v good look round the premises and took some goods with him, going out by a back door which, lie loft opon,