DEATH OF EX-INSPECTOR BROHAM.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3461, 4 January 1901, Page 3

DEATH OF EX-INSPECTOR BROHAM.

According to the "Taranaki Herald," a cable message has been received by Mrs Broham's relatives, stating that Mr Broham, late Inspector in Canterbury, who resigned from the New Zealand police in 1899, has died at Rome. Mr and Mrs Broil am went. Home oil -a. trip, ; and weiQ expected, to return to New Zealand-shortly. Inspector Broham was born at Ireland, - and came out to New- Zealand when quite a-youth He was four years in the Victorian Mounted Police, with the gold , escort from Bendigo to Melbourne. When the - goldfields were discovered "in Otago, he ; came oyer to New Zealand, and worked as a digger for nearly a' year. Then he came to Canterbury, and joined the police here. In 1864 gold was "first discovered on the West Coast, and Mr Broham remained thwe three years, and took a prominent part in quelling various disturbances. He had to deal with -such characters is Kelly, Burgess," and-Sullivan, who robbed the police .camp. In 1870 Mr Broham was chosen to take charge of the , provincial police in Auckland. —He remained in charge until 1877, when he was transferred;to Canterbury, to take charge of the police here. He remained here till 1882, and was. then -transferred -to-Timaru. In 1888 he way again sent to Auckland, where he remained until 1893, when he was again transferred to Canterbury. During his -career in the force Mr Broham was concerned in bringing to justice" some of the most notorious criminals in-the colony. •The famous poisoning case in Timaru will still be- fresh in the mmds of many, • but probably : few-will remember an equally remarkable case-in Auckland — ; the-case of Cyfti Haley, who committed many crimes there, and-whom .Mr Broham arrested. Among Haley's deeds was the burning oi the Auckland "kerosene depot, by-which he 1 . set fire to the city. He also twice burnt down the Choral Hall, and destroyed the Zealand Insurance Company's large i buildings. He wrote a letter to the "Southern Cross" newspaper, saying that h< represented : a band that was determined to take the lives of twelve leading citi zens and destroy- property to the value o . £IOO,OOO. ■ Because of his losses in th< Caledonian mine he determined to take tin

5 life of Mr Thos. Russell, president of the f Bank of New Zealand. He disguised himj self and went ...out to the Qnehunga Pah,. 3 where Mr Russell was living, and knocked at the door. Mr Russell happened to be s away, and his son, Mr Harry Russell, caine j to the door. The) man fired liis revolver (. point blank at bim, the ball actually cutting away some of Mr Russell's hair. The. ' man then fired four other shots into the house, one of them lodging in a panel immediately behind the bed in which Mrs Russell was lyingl with a young child. At that time nobody knew whom to suspect, but a constable was sent out to keep a watch on the pah, and on the Saturday - night following, about midnight, while the constable and Mr Russell's man were stand- , ing on thei verandah, a huge! stack ■of hay . that stood within 100 yards of the veran- '' dah was set on fire, and both watchers saw a man running away, but were unable 0 to overtake him. - Mr Russell immediately '> sent his man into Auckland and aroused s Inspector Broham. By this time -it was e 1.30 a.m., and raining hard. The Inspects tor started out on the road at the back of s Mount Eden in the rain. When he had e gone some distance he saw a' man coming along the road towards him, about, 200 I, I yards away.! Immediately "he sa^ v -TiinS° ,e I the man jumped over the fence. The In-

speptor got lxois»" said ran to where the man had disappeaied. He sprang over the fenee r ~and landed almost on the back of the man r - who wast, attempting to hide. The felloe bolted among some trees, with thfe-*-Inspeet»r afterliim, for about ten minutes. Then he emerged; into the open' and turned and drew- his revolver. The Inspector- wsefr But made a rush at the.man>- By-' an auaamg, oßcsnco the barrel-of thc= revolver' broke without his being able" toirse it. Thev closed, | and afterva struggle the> Inspector seonred his prisonerj-"who turned • out to bee- Haley. He was eonvicted on three; oS tha- leading charges,' and: 1 sentsnosd to penal servitude for life.. > After his->convietion. he i was-; scut to Dunedin t gaoly wherei; he; attempted to escape, -but .was recaptured.. He; again attempted. to. escape; and was; shot. Mr Broham remained. .Inspector, of. Police. for Canterbury .until; 1899, when* &ei retired on his pension; . was. in. poor- health at the time,.iand..paid a visit to. thai Southern Lakes, , returning to GhizißtohnEch, and leaving almosfc .immediately far a; trip to England. His death, will be • regretted by a number of ihtanateiiriendsi— —' Bress."*