STICKING-UP OF A BANK.

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 August 1901, Page 3

STICKING-UP OF A BANK.

DETAILS OF THE STRUGGLE

Full ■particulars- of the attempted bank robbery at Henty (New South Wales) indicate that the outrage was fully premeditated, and was suffused with highly sensational features."

Henty is a village of about 400 residents, situated m the centre of an extensive farming district, 40 miles from Albury, and. on the Main Southern Railway line. The bank is situate" in the most populated part of the township, about 100 yards from the railway station. The manager, Mr Alfred Lamport, and his assistant, Mr 'Thomas Hableton,' sleep on the bank premises, and when the robbers appeared they were in the room immediately at the rear of the banking- chamber.

Mr Lamport was sitting at a table, when Mr Hazelton left the room to obtain a, piece of wood to replenish the fire burning in the room. He was just stepping outside when he was confronted by two men, botlr wearing masks and long black beards. One of the men, who 'has since been identified as Joseph Minton, alias George Manton, caught hold of Mr Hazelton by the throat, and forced him against the passage near the doorway, while the other man, since identified as John Roberts, walked past his mate and Mr Hazelton, and forced his way into where Mr Lamport was sitting. The whole proceeding occupied a fewseconds; and Mr Lamport did not have time to rise from the seat before he was confronted by Roberts, Avho held a revolver in his hand and called on him.to bail up. Immediately after making tho demand Roberts turned his head slightly towards where his mate had Mr Hazleton bailed up, whereupon Mr Lamport, with the quickness of a flash of lightning, opened a drawer in the table at which he was seated, and which contained a bank revolver, and fired point-blank at Roberts. Simultaneously Roberts fired at Mr Lamport,' both shots taking effect. Mr Lamport, who rose when firing the shot, fell back against the fireplace, and Roberts, uttering a cry, stumbled sideways, but quickly recovered himself, and made a dash outside, followed by Minton. Both mien were quickly lost in the gloom. As they were leaving, Mr Hazleton. in his desperation, caught- hold of a chair and threw it after the retreating men. When falling, Mr Lamport pulled the revolver again, and the second bullet was subsequently found embedded in the woodwork of the room. The discharge of three shots on the bank premises immediately gave rise to a cry in the town, and the uank was quickly surrounded by exoited people, some, of whom carried guns and other firearms. For a time il'here was danger of some indiscriminate shooting. In the meantime th« rpbbers mad© good their escape. Mr. Lamport was found lying wounded in tha rpom, and on the arrival of the police Df. Mjirchisini was summoned. He found that the bullet had entered the mana<jer'H breast on tbff left) side, and had passed around the side, grazing his ribs. It was subsequently extracted. ' HOW THE ARRESTS WERE EFFECTED. , The policy and civilians proceeded at once to make seajx?!}. for the robbers. Owing to the disguises they had adopted, very little in the way of description could bo dven to itllie police by the bank officials, and at _rst thero did not appear to be the slightest clue as to the identity of tbe miscreants. Their capture, however, proved a very .oas-"- matter, and was brought about quite simply. For some days two men had Been camped at the Government tank close to the town. They occupied a tent, and had with them a. sulky and two bicycles. During their stay in town both menhad familiarised themselves with the habitues of hotels, and seemed to bo respectable men of the working class. Constable Graham, attended by Constable Hamilton and a civilian, resolved to visit their tent and search for the robbers. They found both men in bed, undressed. One of them rose from his bed when the police entered, and it was noticed that the other man lay prostrate, as if suffering pain. Minton, or Manton, in answer to Constable Graham, said they had not been outside the tent thafc night. Constable Graham then stooped and lifted the bedclothes from Roberts, when it was found that his shirt was covered with blood. At once the police realised that they had the wanted men. No resistance was offered by either of the men, who quietly submitted to arrest, and were taken to the lock-up. It was found that Roberts had been shot in the right breast. The bullet appears to have first grazed his right arm, in which was held the revolver fired by him at Mr Lamport, and then entered his breast, and is supposed to be embedded in his liver. Roberta inquired if Mr Lamport was dead, and being told that lie was not, expressed himself pleased to hear so. The cables have since stated that the two men have admitted that they attempted to rob the bank.