THE COROMANDEL AMALGAM ROBBERY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2199, 15 November 1875, Page 3

THE COROMANDEL AMALGAM ROBBERY.

ROYCROFT COMMUTED FOR TRIAL, . The robbery of amalgam from the Tokatea Company's battery last month appears to have been sheeted home to the'principal party concerned successfully. The only matter for regret is that his confederate, James Golding, gets off without punishment, as the police felt themselves compelled to compound -his felony in order to sheet home the charge to the principal offender. There wero some peculiar circumstances connected with the transaction, and although the time at which the robbery was effected was well chosen, and tho "plant" made in a way that appeared; to. be thoroughly; safe, the .organisation at work to discover the perpetrator was too efficient,. although there appears to have been only two people in the secret, namely, Hoycroft and Golding, his accomplice. The shaft in which the amalgam was found is about 45 feet deep. At the time tho amalgam was dropped into it it only contained water, but since then a man named William Jones, who has .been carrying on sluicing arrangements in the neighbourhood, had his stream so conducted that the water and rubbish were carried into the shaft, and eventually it became filled up. It was the filling up of this'shaft that directed suspicion towards Jones, after the police had obtained information that the amalgam was deposited there, and led to his arrest. Had the amalgam not been discovered after the shaft was cleared out, Jones would have found it difficult to clear himself of suspicion of being implicated, but as matters turned out, the circumstances cleared him, and the charge on which he was arrested was withdrawn. The-infor-mations in the first instance were sworn by a man named Matthew Callen, but when Golding and Hoycroft were brought up at the,CoromanderPolice Court on Friday last, before Major Keddell, 8.M., tbey were_charged on the' information of

Detective Brennan. James Eoycroft was charged with having, on the 2fith September, feloniously stolen 5.880zs of gold amalgam, value £250, the property of the Tokatea Gold Mining Company, and James Golding was charged with receiving the same, knowing it,to have been stolen. There was no evidence offered against Golding. We extract the following report of the proceedings against Eoycroft from Saturday's Coromandel MailiMr Bullen prosecuted for the Crown, and stated to the .Bench he did not intend going on with the case against the accused Golding.' ' John Eobinson, sworn, stated: lam manager of the Tokatea Company's battery, situate on the Whakaroa Creek, I remember the 25th September last. Was employed some time before that dale extracting _ gold from quartz for the Tokatea mine, I partially cleaned up on that day, having taken the amalgam from the plates;in the afternoon. It amounted to about 3320zs hard squeezed. I stopped the battery at 5 p.m', and cleaned the amalgam from tho copper plates, and quicksilver ripples, and statnpor-boxes. I then put the .unoleaned amalgam into a basin; and locked it up.in the iron safe with, the clean amalgam before roferrod to. I did not weigh the uncleanedamal. gam. . I know of my own knowledge that the amalgam contained gold. Tho iron box had two padlocks and two compartments, in one of which tho whole'of tho amalgam was placed. Those are the locks (produced) which fastened the iron box or safe. There were about 4001bs of quicksilver in the battery altogether, andthreo'or four buckets containing silver in the iron box. After putting the silver in, together with the amalgam, I looked the box, both tho inner and outer compartments, and kept tho keys'in my own possession. I know the accused Jamos Eoycroft. Have known him for several months. He'has frequently called at tho battery. On the afternoon of the 25th September he came in with a man named Barnett, and advanced towards me.as I was in the act of putting a ball of amalgam into a dish which had already been squeezed, and said ho would like to shake hands with me. I saw tho amalgam at 6 p.m, on the evening of the 25th September. • There is no one residing or sleeping at the battery premises where the box containing the amalgam was kept. Hive about twenty or thirty yards from'the battery, at a higher elevation. An employee, named Eyan also lives near tho battery, on the opposite side, about.fifty, yards distant. The battery is secured by shutters, which I saw Eyan put up that evening at the back of the battery. Eyan is employed as feeder. I am satisfied tho battery was secured before I left it on 'Saturday night. Anyone could force the shutters in from the outside. I did not go near the battery again that night;saw the battery again next day; did not leave my-house that night; left it at 11 a.m. the next day, and returned again at about 11 p.m. Tho night was very dark, consequently noticed nothing particular about the battery. Tt is generally understood that when I am away Eyan, tho feeder, is looking-after the battery. On the 27fch Boswell, a man in tho employ of the Tokatea Company's battery, came to' me for the key of the battery, which I gave him. Shortly afterwards ho came again, and in consequence of what he told me I went down to the battery. Upon my arrival my attention was called to a shutter at the battery having been removed. Upon getting inside, I found the brass look (produced) lying within a foot or two of the iron box, and also found the inside lock broken, and that the amalgam was all gone except one ball belonging to the Union Beach Gold Mining Company. •Subsequently I discovered that a bucket of quicksilver had been taken, which I afterwards found on the tramway. I also found a steel bar in the battery, which evidently bad been used for the purpose of forcing the locks from the safe. Boswell, the engine-driver, was present when I opened the iron box. The amalgam now shown me contains gold, but appears to have been mixed since I saw it last. I estimated the value of it at about £250. Upon finding out the robbery I told the legal manager, and gave information to the police. Daniel Eyan, examined, said: I am. engaged as feeder at the Whakaroa battery, and reside near it at the lower side I know Golding. Any person passing either my place or Qolding's must go within a few feet of the door.. I was employed 'at tho battery on'the 26th September, with last witness and Boswell.' This witness's evidence corroborated that of the manager of tho battery. James Golding, sworn,deposed as follows: I am the owner of the Diggers' Best Hotel, Coromandel. I know the • accused James Boycroft. He has been a lodger in my house for seven months. He was a lodger on Sunday, the 26th of September last. During the seven months he was mining he did not pay me the amount of his board and lodging. On the. afternoon of Sunday, the 26th, Eoycroft told me thero was some amalgam at the Whakaroa battery, and he was going to take it that night. Inconsequence I said, ''Becareful; it is a dangerous joko." To which he replied, " I will look out for that." About halfpast five or six he had tea with me. Eoycroft was about the house after tea, The bedroom occupied by the accused is separated by a small passage from my bedro&in, The accused went out of my house about half-past seven or eight o'clock. I did not see himgojionly missed him from the house. I next saw him about half-past nine. From that until ten o'clock saw him at his bedroom door. I did not know he was there until I went out. As I opened my door the accused said, "Is that you?"- I said, " Yes, it is me," when ho said " By God, 1 thought I was caughi! 7 He said, "I have got that.'. I. asked what ifcj was. He said," I have got it in a shirt outside behind a log." He went, and brought it. into my backyard. It was a very dark night. He said, " What will we do with itP" I said, "Plant it, I suppose." We then went into my back-shed, leaving tho parcel in tho yard. We got a sugar bag in the shed and put. the amalgam into it and tied the mouth with a leather baotlace. I remarked there was a. good lot. He said, "I wish there, was more." I picked up the bag, and went towards my garden gate. The accused came as far as the gate, but did not enter the garden. I then dug a hole in the-garden, and put in the bag containing the amalgam and covered it up. After doing so I returned,' but did not see Boycroft. I concluded ho had gone to bed. He told me he got very wet by falling into the creek opposite the 1 New Zealand battery. I was not off my premises that night between the hours of six and ten o'clock. I was not easy in my mind that, consequently I was up at five a.m. next morning. I went into the garden and dug up the amalgam, wbichlhad buried the night, before, and put it into a sack and brought it into ray backyard. The bag produced is the one, and the rope produced is the one I tied round it. I then went out and put itinto the shaft on Murphy's Hill, The shaft was aban-

doned, and nearly tbtee-parts full of water. Upon doing this I returned to my bouse, and saw Boycroft about 7 o'clock the same morning, and told him I had put the amalgam down a shaft. Ho said it was a very good place. He asked me how we should get it. out of thero when we wanted it. I said we would require to got grappling irons. Ho said," That is all right; it is a ivory, good idea." I dcsoribed the position of the shaft to Boycroft. lam not awaro that. the aooueed ever visited the shaft. I remember seeing Mr Eobinson that morning, and ho told-mo of tho robbery. I told Boycroft that' Mr Eobinson had becu speaking about tho robbery. Ho said he was sorry for Eobinson, but it was dono too clean for him. Boycroft also asked .how we should get it retorted. I mentioned a retort being at the New Zealand battery that vrould hold the lot of it. About ten o'clock there was something said about the races, and that he was going up to' train for the cup, and he asked me to lend him £5, which I gave him. I recollect Sergeant Egan calling that day. Wo were all there talking about the races. After the sergeant left ho remarked, "Littlq did the .sergeant think I am tho man that took it." On Tuesday morning the aooused told mo he had bought somo clothing, and wanted mo to lend him £5 more. I afterwards saw him at tho Golconda Hotel, and give him the £5; and we parted, ho going to Auckland. Somo tinio after I received a letter from him by tho hands of a Mr.Glover. That letter has been lost. It was a request for £10; that he had made a matoh for £6 a-side. I gate A lbort Glovor the £10 for tho accused. I had then givon Eoycroft £20 altogether, in addition to tho £16 already owing me. I next saw Boycroft on or about tho 28th Octobor last at my house, 'tie did not board with me, but stayed with his brother-in-law. Eoycroft asked mo if I had been to get tho amalgam. I said," No; tho shaft was fillod up." Eoycroft stayed three or four days at Ooromandel at that timo. He said before leaving it would bo bettor to loavo tho amalgam in tho shaft for twelvo months.

Several other witnesses wore examined, but their evidence was only corroborative of the main facts of the case as sot forth in the evidence of Mr Eobinson and James Golding. Upon tho evidence boing read ovor to the accused, ho declined to say anything, and was committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supremo Court. ■■'■'• -■■■ '■•■■•■•. -■-•■■■ - ■■:■•

Yery soon after tho committal of tho prisoner ho wai forwarded to Auckland to await his trial, and Mr Bullon and Detective Brennan returned to tho Thames on Saturday in a cutter.