THE ARMED MARAUDER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6714, 29 November 1889, Page 3

THE ARMED MARAUDER.

j « ( Larceny and Robbery i Under Arms. i ] At the Police Court tins morning, before Messrs F. Guinness and James Gapes, ' Justices of the Peace, George Tillett was proceeded against under two charges of larceny, and three of obtaining or endeavouring to obtain food tor himself or his horse while armed with a gun. I He was first charged with stealing a 1 saddle and bridle, value £.'&, from Jjiir--; Patterson'ti premises at New Brighton, on Njv. 18. The next charge was that on Nov. IS last, at New Brighton, George Tillett stole a uoroe, v&lue £ti, tue property or Thomas Frost. : Inspector Ponder called Thomas frost, who deposed : I am a labourer, residing at New Bnghton. I recognise the bay pony mare outside the Court. She belongs to me. 1 kept her in a paddock at Now Brighton, and put her there about eight o'clock on the evening of Nov. 18. The paddock was securely fenced, and the gateway was closed with sliprails. At half-past seven next morning I found that the ritib had been taken down, and that the pony was gone. 1 next saw her at the poiice station on last Monday night. , Tiiiett had no right to use the pony. I did not see him at New Brighton about the time the pouy was taken. I John Chea:er Waby deposed :I am a | farmer, living at Greendale. I recogniee the bay pouy outside the Court. I saw it on Nov. 19, about noon, when accused, who called himself Tiiiett, rode up to my gate ou it. He told me that he had stolen the pony. Constable John Black, stationed at Eakaia, deposed : I saw the acciued riding I toe pony, outside the Court, at linkaia, on ! Nov. 22. He was armed with a gun. He ! said he had taken the pony. I brought | him to iJhristcburch. j Tne accused did not cross-examine any I of the witnesses, and said, in answer to the • U3ual caution and question as to whether ! he wished to give evidence, " i took the I thing, and plead guilty to what f took/ j He was then committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court. j PATTKKSON S CASE. j He was then charged with having stolen ! a Baddle and bridle, value £'<S, from James 1 Patterson's premises at New Brighton, on ! Nov. 18. Thomas Ellis deposed : I am stableman at Patterson's Hotel, New Brighton. I recognise the saddle and bridle on the ho-'se outside the Court as belonging to ' Mr'Patterson. I bsw them in the harness- ' room on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 18, 1 and missed them on the following morning. I do not know the prisoner. The harness- , room dcor was locked, but there waa an | opening in it sufficient for a man to get through. The saddle and bridle were ! worth about £'3 10d. ; James Patterson, licensee of the New ', Brighton Hotel, deposed : About two years ago the prisoner lived at my hotel, , and waa in my service. He knew the premises. I never authorised him to take j or use the saddle and bridle. ! Constable Black deposed : The saddle ' and bridle produced were on the horse ! which prisoner was riding when I arrested ; him at Kakaia. He said he had taken ' them. ! Prisoner, who had nothing to say, was committed for trial on this charge also. hansen's caee. He was then charged with stealing a gun, value £1, from Samuel Hansen, at Ellesmere, on Nov. 19. Simon Hansen deposed : I am a farmer living at Ellesmere, about twenty miles ', from Christchurch. I live alone, and left i my house about five o'clock on the morn- ] ing of Nov. 19. The doors were locked, > and the windows fastened, but one window ' was broken. There was a single-barrelled I gun., unloaded, in the house, and some | powder, shot and caps. I came back at ' eeven o'clock in the evening, and found that the window had been opened. Things were scattered about the table, and the gun and some ammunition gone. The gun ! produced is the one. I gave £1 for it. I ! cannot say if the shot produced is similar to what I missed. Michael Daly deposed : lam a contractor living m the Ellesmere district. 1 saw the prisoner at Mr Hansen's place about eight ! o'clock in the morning on Tuesday, Nov. 19. He was knocking at the door. Constable Black deposed : Prisoner had the gun, which had been identified by Mr { Haneen, in his possession, when I arre3Led him at Eakaia. It waa capped and loaded with powder, and the shot produced. He said he had taken the gun. I Accused, who said he dil not wish to make a statement, was committed for trial. MR WABT'S CABE. Tillett was then accused that being : armed with a gun he did rob John C. Waby , of some tea, horse-feed, oats and chaff, at Greendale on Nov. 19. '< John Chester Waby deposed : I live alone at Greendale. On Nov. 19, about noon, the prisoner came to my house at Greendale. I was alone, and there was no one 1 nearer than two miles off. He rode up to the gate with the gun, produced, in his hand. It was capped and cocked, and it was lying across the saddle. He called 1 out and asked if I had any horse-feed. I ' went up to the gate to him and said, " I haven't any to spare." He said that he had come a long way, and that he > mußt have it. He said, " Don't you know > ,me? I'm Tillett; I have lived two years • in gaol." The gun waa pointing at me all the time, lying across the saddle, and his hand was near the trigger. I think he rode up to the stable, 1 dismounted, and put his horse in. I ftl ' it. He was talking all the time, ' but I cannot remember exactly what he said. I thought he was insane. He said there were three constables ' after him, and that they were coming over the fence on horseback. He said he must hare the feed for the horse, tapped the gun, and said that it would give him all i he wanted. He was then at the gate, and . the gun was pointed at me. He talked about shooting the police. All through I 1 thought he was insane. He asked for i some food. I boiled the kettle and gave him some tea. He kept the gun in his hand or on his knee all the time. I thought that he was mad, and that I had 1 ' better humour him. He had some bread,

•. butter, nnd tea, then groomed his horse , and had h wash. He asked me the road ta s Methven, and went in the direction of Good's place. He said he had a ravolvet in a bag which was hanging round his neck. j Constable Black repeated his evidence s about the prisoner having the gun pro--3 duced in his hand when arrested. j Piisoner, who had nothing to say, wa3 b committed for trial. MI6B GOOD'S CASK. Tillett wa3 then accused that, being ? armed with an offensive weapon, to wit, I a gun, he did at Greendale, on Nov. 19, ■ feloniously rob Alice M. Good of one r horsefeed of oats and chaff, and o£ Borne I bread and butter. , Alice Maud Good deposed : I am fifteen I yeais of age, and the daughter of George r Good, farmer at Greendale. On Nov. 19 I L wa3 at the houi.e; my brother, twelve I jears old, was the only other person thpve. ' Between three and foyr o'clock in the afternoon the prisoner rode inside the gate. I went out to meet him. He asked me to give him food for his horse. I said, ■ "No, tie." He pointed the gun produced . at me, bringing it up to his shoulder. He i eaid he would shoot anybody who did not give hiai what he wanted. The gun wa3 capped f»ud cocked. He asked me if I knew who he was. I said, " No, bir." He said his name was George Ti'lett, and asked for the stable and went round to it. I got some food for his horse. I got the feed because I was frightened that he would shoot. I got some chaff and oats. He said I had not put any oats in it. I said I bad. He said that he would shoot me if I did not put some more, and pointed the gun at me. I put some inoieoat3 in. He i-Jtiil " Thank you." He said that he didn't like shooting young girle, but he had to do it. He said that he had shot a policeman. After the horse had had his feed, he said he wanted something to eat for himself. I gave him some bread and butter. He went away, and said that I could watch which way he went, and tell the police, and get him into all the more row. He asked how far it was to the police station, and what direction it was in. I told him it waa six miles, and showed him the road to it. Tbere is another house acros3 the road Loai my father's hous-e. There was a man in a paddock there, but I could not call to him, because Tillett was watching him. The pri-oner denied that he had put his gun to his shoulder. Constable Black deposed : Prisoner had the gun produced in his hand when I arrested him oa Nov. 22. I had heard tbat he was coming, and wa3 waiting for him behind the bridge-keeper's box on the South side of the bridge. I had a revolver. Prisoner rode up, holding the gun in his right hand in an upright position. I had my arm extended, so as to cover him with this revolver immediately he came in view. I let him go about two or three yards past the box, and called on him to surrender. He reined the horse round, at the same time letting the gun come down so aa to point the muzzle towards me. I called on him the tec. nd time to surrender, and told him to throw down his gun, or I would shoot him. As he did not throw down the gun, i fired two shots immediately over his head. He threw himself back in the saddle, aud said: "Don't shoot me; don't shoot; me. I surrender." At my request he laid down, the nun, got off the horae on the Bide towards int», turned hia back to me, and I handcuffed him. The gun was capped, but not cocked. It was loaded with powder and shot. I did not fire with the intention of hitting him, but to frighten him and to show that I was prepared for him. The accused, who said nothing, was committed for trial on thiß charge also. MRS IN WOOD'S CASE. The sixth charge was that on Nov. 20, at North Rakaia, being armed with a gun, be did feloniously, with menace?, demand from Ellen Inwood bread, butter, tea, sugar and eggs, with intent to steal the 68 IT) P. Ellen Inwood deposed : I am the wife of Samuel Inwood, manager of Heslerton, North Rakaia. The nearest house to mine is between two and three miles away. On Nov. £0 I was in the house with some young children. My husband was away. About a quarter past twelve prisoner came to the house, riding, and with a gun like that produced. I met him at the door, and he said, " I have come to see if you'll give me come food. You know who I am." I said I did not. He then said that the police were after him, and that he must have some food by fair mears or foul; that if it wa3 not giyen to him he would take it, a3 be had the gun and two revolvers. I told him I was a poor woman and could hardly spare it; bnt I was frightened, and gave him some bread and butter. I had a very little bread in the house afc the time. I gave him half of a home-made loaf, a little butter, tea and sugar, and some eggs. He told mo that lie had recently served two years in prison, and that he had helped Jonathan Roberts to escape. He did not point the gun at me. He a-ked me for come feed for hia horse, but I had none to give him. He went away South towards Dobbin's Ford. Accused, who did not say anything, was committed for trial.