A CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2194, 19 May 1908, Page 3

A CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION.

ARMED CYCLISTS "HOLD UP” PEDESTRIANS.

SEVERAL PERSONS ASSAULTED AND ROBBED.

Picks Association. CHRISTCHURCH May IS. Between 12 on Saturday .light and 3 o’clock on Sunday morning ;> gang of three men. two of whom w--r? armed with revolvers, rodo slowly along Fitzgerald Avenue on -oieyslos, and ‘‘hold up” every pedestrian likely to possess valuatjles. They started Irom the northern'end of the avenue, anil sighted the lost quarry after going a tittle distance. The victim was called upon to s'-p, and when lie did so one ot the gang hit him on the head wnh the tmt of a revolver, wounding him severely and smashing in his hat. He then threw him down upon the toorpath, wliile anotlier man went through his pockets, taking about Li2 rash. The three men then hurriedly mounted their bicycles, and ■ proceeded southward along the a /emie They next meoun-.'ivd a gentleman, who, when ra led u t on to halt, endeavoured to I - .oat off his assailants with an umbrella I'lmy snatched 1 a parse which ..e gee.th-inßn held ill his hand. It r. lti.i.xl about ,*.-1 cadi While the robbers were Lus\ with their victim a .eh :e nan on beat strolled up. The men at i nee told the captive to keep a quiet tongue in lbs head, or they would blow his head off and the constable’s as well. The constable npproaehod nod toM the non to shift their bicycles, the machines hav-in''-been laid dnv'e on the road when the attack as male. Nmu ihstand jug that he .nul pisl been rrlLed of £4, the threat was suHii-imo t • prevent the .ictitu -from mabwig anj complaint at the time. The next person to attract the attention of the night birds attemped to run away, but was stopped by a revolver bullet, which struck the back of las hand. He evidently thought further flight too risky, and went homeward watch and chain. On the next attempt at robbery, which occurred at about a quarter to one, the gang were not so suceessttu. They called upon a young n an mimed Morey to stop, and on making a tclt for the gate of his residence one bred at him. The bullet passed througn his overcoat: and coat, and grazed m o of his fingers.

A DETERMINED GANG. THREE ARRESTS EFFECTED. CHRISTCHURCH, May 18. In regard to the holding-up outrage on Saturday night, further nrfuines made to-day show that the incident was conducted by a determined gang of thieves, and was not at all a. larri■kiii affair. So far no arrests have been made. The police are taking extra precautions for the patrol of the town. r 4. Later. The police arrested three men at Sumner at noon, roughly answering the description of the men concerned in Saturday night’s outrage. Ali three are suspicious characters, and have iieen under police surveillance for sonic days. When arrested they all were found to be armed with revolvers. THE SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED. STOLEN PROPERTY RECOVERED.

CHRISTCHURCH, May 18. The police made three arrests thu morning in connection with ? li'lie . armed robberies that occurred in the city early on Sunday morning. The description of their assailants supplied by the victims of the stickingup oases, were not very definite, but they caused the .suspicions of tho police to be directed towards three men, who have been living at stunner for some days, and whose characters have been under suspicion. This morning, Detective Ward went to Sumner, and with the assistance of Constable Hamilton, who is stationed at Sumner, arrested the three men. Revolvers were found in their .possession, and it is understood that there is other evidence that the right men havo been secured. The three ineu were ' detained at Sumner, and early this afternoon steps were taken to give the victims of the robberies an opportunity to identify the men. They were not very clear in their recollection of the features- and figures of their assailants, owing to tho excitement under which they had naturally labored at tho time of the assault, but it is understood that the identification was sufficiently icomplete. The detention of the three men at Sumner was due to the prompt police work of Constable Hampton, tlio constable in charge at the sea-sido resort. Ho had been ‘‘keeping an eye” on the three men, who were baclielorising together. They were absent from their house on Saturday at midnight, and on Sunday their clothes were hanging out to dry on a clothes line. These two facts led the police rtjSL officer to 'communicate with the Cen- ~~ t'ral Police Station, and Detective Ward went to see the three suspects, and it i's confidently predicted that the men detained will prove to he the desperate characters “wanted.” The three men arrested were living iii a small house, furnished, at the back of Sumner, which they had rented, and had been occupying for over a week. One of them comes from the North Island, and has a bad police record, but the others are unknown. They were arrested by Detectives Ward and -Connell and Constable Hampton, and made no resistance. On being searched a revolver was found upon one of the men; and also a gold ring which had been taken •from ono of the men held up, and which was advertised for. This morning the accused were taken to the Sumner lock-up, and the police then proceeded to search their house. The search resulted in the discovery of two keys which were taken from one of their victims and thrown behind -a tent; three masks; one revolver; a ring; and a quantity of clothing, etc., stolen from a "Woolston house last- week.