MASKED ROBBERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 12, 15 January 1932, Page 8

MASKED ROBBERS

ATTEMPT ON BANK HAPPENING AT EDENDALE FURTHER PARTICULARS [ Per press Association. ] EDENDALE, Jan. 14. Further enquiries regarding the hold-up of the Edendalo branch of the Bank of New South Wales on Monday night reveal no fresh developments. The manager, Mr Archibald, and his wife aro both suffering from shock. The latter received bruises on the forehead and a cut on the cheek from the effects of an improvised sandbag. The intruders gained entry through the open window of the sitting-room in the front of the house and walked down the lighted hallway to the kitchen, where Mr Archibald and his wife were reading. Hearing footsteps, the latter got up from the chair and on opening the door the assailant rushed and hit her, knocking off her glasses, and a second hit was received on her check. Her husband rushed to his wife’s assitance, and pushed her past him, enabling her. in great presence of mind, to rush out the back door and call for help. She was followed by a man armed with a rifle, which was loaded. Meanwhile the husband struggled with the second man, who hit out with a sandbag, which burst as it struck Mr Archibald’s head. He then followed outside to the help of his wife, who had run to the next door neighbour. The husband proceeded down the street and called further assistance, but on returning found no trace of the intruders, who had decamped. The general opinion is that though it was a determined attempt, the would-be robbers once the alarm was given were afraid to carry out their object of obtaining the keys of the bank premises. On the night previous to the hold up a bk cksmith’s premises a few doors away from the bank were bur glariously entered and an attempt made to set them on fire. The attempt failed owing to early detection by a