A FREE RIDE FOR ROBBERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9392, 19 March 1898, Page 6

A FREE RIDE FOR ROBBERS.

Daring Gang of Highrtaymeu.

Clever Capture by Tr&ln Officials.

A moet impudent daylight robbery was committed early in the morning of February 1 on the open highway running alongside the North-eastern line of railway betweon Craigieburn and the Donuybrook station, in Victoria, which resulted in the novel spectacle of a pursuit by a flying goods trtVin, and the ultimate capture of tho robbers by railway offici Us. It appears that early in the morning an old man, travelling in the direction of Craigieburn, was stuck up by four men some distance outside the Donnybrook station, and having been roughly handled, was knocked down and robbed of £40 aud ft number of articles of jewellery. Having accomplished their purpose, the robbsrs, who appeared to be tramps of tho larrikin type, made off northwards along the railway line, and their victim, who was left lying on the roadside, on recovering proceeded to tho railway station at Donnybrook, where ho gave information of the occurrence. On the arrival of the 11.35 a.m. ordinary goods train from Melbourne. Driver Polgase and Fireman Hall were informed of the occurrence, and wurned to keep a sharp look-out for the offenders, and to report at the next station. The robbers had been seen hugging the line in their flight northwards ; no doubt in the hope of catching a train at one of the way (Me stations, and getting away before the police could get upon their tracks, but if this idea influenced their line of retreat they were doomed to disappointment. Having once taken in the situation the railway officials on the train were in full cry after the culprits, and having cracked on all speed for a few miles, were rewarded by seeing three men answering the desoription of tho robbers walking leisurely along the line some distance away. Fearing that he would alarm the men, Driver Polgase ran the train several hundred yards ahead of them, and then stopped suddenly, and made a point of examining the engine, as if an accident bad happened. When the men came up, as they did in a few minutes, one of their number, with fatal inquisitiveness, inquired the cause of the stoppage. This led to an interesting conversation, which ended in tho robbers being invited by Guard Wright to have a free ndo in the van as far as Seymour, and the offer was cheerfully and boisterously accepted. When the party had been safely placed in the guard's van, and the doors securely locked, the train moved on, but it I had not proceeded more than 200 yds or so when the fourth man was overtaken, and immediately afterwards the train was again pulled up as if something had gone wrong with the engine, and in due course he was taken on board, and unconsciously looked up with his companions. The telegraph was set working at Wallan station, and on the arrival of the goods train at Wandong a small posse of police put in an appearance, and quietly conducted the four men to the look-up, where they were formally charged with the robbery. Tho quartet joked and langho.l and poked fun at the Hailway Commissioner all through the apparently cheap journey they were enjoying, quite unconscious of the net that was closing around them. When the officions constable put bis head in at tho carriage window at Wandong, one of the gang said, " Oh, we ain't takin' any this side of Seymour," at which the others laughed loudly, but the laugh was quickly and sadly changed to language of a stronger turn when the police hauled them out and, searching them, found the proceeds of the robbery upon them. They had nothing to say, and declined to answer any questions.