THE OTAGO GOLD ROBBERY.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 708, 8 September 1870, Page 2

THE OTAGO GOLD ROBBERY.

In connection with this robbery, suspicion was entertained against Bennie, a shoemaker at the Arrow, by the police there, and some circumstances seen by Mr Cook, the keeper of an accommodation house induced them to make still stricter inquiries concerning him. In this inquiry, Mr Cook rendered very effective help. He stated he had seen Bennie burn the clothes he had on, his person and put on a fresh suit, turn adrift a jaded horse, and proceed on his journey on foot. The constables had received information at various places at Queenstown and the Arrow, and finally arrived at Bennie's place at the Arrow. On interrogating him, he gave a most unsatisfactory account of where he was, and what he had been doing on the night of the robbery, and he was in consequence arrested on suspicion. A portion of the burnt bridle was identified as his, as was the bit as having been in Bennie's possession. He stoutly, steadily, and resolutely denied, all knowledge of the matter, but after being in the lock-up a few hours, a conversation ensued between him and Constable Hunt, stationed at the Arrow. Bennie asked to see the notice of the offered reward. The notice of the offer of £SOO was accordingly produced. After reading it, he said, " I see there's a freo pardon offered to an accomplice who gives information." " Yes," said the constable, "there is." "TTell, then, I done it," Bennie said. The constable, following up the conversation, asked him what he had done with tho gold and notes. He replied that they were planted, and he could show where they were. Smith, the arresting constable, was informed of what Bennie said, and

going to Bee him he asked, " Have you confessed in this matter?" " Yes, I have," he replied, " and I will show you where the gold and notes are concealed." He was then placed upon a horse, and he conducted Constable Smith to where there were one bundle of notes and a bag of gold planted on the Queenstown road. Proceeding until within a few miles of Clyde, he pointed out three different places where they found the remainder at that time discovered—namely, ten bags of gold and four parcels of notes. Two parcels of gold—one from Teviot, and the other from Cromwell—were still undiscovered, the amounts being respectively £212, and £537. In addition to these there was missing a small bag of very inferior gold, the scrapings of the plates from the Aurora claim. It was so mixed up with other substances that it was bemg forwarded to the bank at Dunedin for assay, before a price eould be fixed upon it. It can be identified. After these transactions, Eennie requested Sergeant Moore to inform the Commissioner of Police, who was at the Clyde, that he wished to see him. On going to see him, Eennie was cautioned as to the consequences of what he might say, and in reply, he said he had turned the matter over in his mind, and wanted to " make a clean breast of the thing." He then gave a detailed account of the affair, and said that Constable MacLennon, who had been a warder in the Eoyal Montrose Lunatic Asylum with him, and subsequently his shipmate by the E. P. Bouverie, reached Otago last March twelvemonths; that six months ago they had concocted a scheme for robbing the Teviot escort, and made an attempt to do so which failed. They finally succeeded on the night of the 21st ultimo. MacLennon has since been arrested, and charged with being accessory to the theft. Eennie has since confessed to where a further portion of the missing notes was to be found. Several persons have claimed, each a £IOOO on account of the information given by them having led to the discovery of the treasure. It -will be for the Supreme Court to decide who has a fair claim to it.