The Press., 1898-07-21
ROBBING GOLD SHIPS
A DIFFICULT TASK OFTEN SUCCESS
 FULLY ACCOMPLISHED.

The Australian Coast the Favortte Field
 For These Daring Feats of Burglary.
 Some of the More Notable Thefts That
 Have Taken Place.
 Several times in each year Australian newspapers announce the departure to England or San Francisco of vessels carrying hundreds of thousands of pounds value in gold. In 1896 the three colonies of Queen sland, New South Wales and Victoria sent away over $40.- GOO, 900.
 It is not matter of surprise that such announcements excite the cupidity of a section of the community or that from time to time attempts are made to surreptitiously lay hands on some DOT tion of the seductive treasure.
 Robbing a ships safe on the Austra- lian coast is now conducted with the same silent and thoughtful deliberation as is the solving of a difficult chess problem. The first thing the rif1er sets his heart upon is how to get the key. The theory, and indeed the general prac- tice, is that the captain checks the boxes as they are stored in the bullion room. locks the door when the transaction Is complete, and, sleeping or waking, car ries the key in leather pouch around his neck till he unlocks the door at the end of the voyage.
 But theory and practice are often set aside In the Tararua case, at Mel bourne, in 1880, when gao, 900 worth of gold bars were stolen, the police dis covered that two keys, either of which opened the bullion room, used to hang against the wall in the public bar. It was also discovered that one of these keys mysteriously disappeared 12 months before the robbery and that no serious investigation was then made into the loss, nor was any alteration made in the lock of the bullion room.
 This Tararua was running between New Zealand and Australia and had shipped boxes of gold at various ports. Altogether she was supposed to carry II boxes On arriving at Melbourne it was found that one of these boxes was missing. Examination showed that some one had simply opened the door with 8 key, extracted the box and looked the door again.
 The robbery from the Iberia, which left Melbourne for London in March, 1889, is supposed to have been also ef- fected by means of key surreptitiously procured. In that case the robbery was not discovered till the arrival of the vessel in London.
 The robbery from the China develop ed in a remarkable way. Here the Ori- ental bank in Sydney placed the gold on board a coast steamer called the Avoca. At Melbourne the gold was transship- ped to the China. The China touched at Adelaide and other ports, but it was only at Galle the discovery of the rob- bery was made. Detectives operated on all the ports simultaneously, but mo- where could 8 olew be found. The amount missing was the usual $20, 900. In 1878 a man named Weiberg, who had been a carpenter on the China, took up a selection in the interior of Victo- ria. Before settling down he married 8 Melbourne barmaid and appears to have confided to her some shady particulars of his past history. The Samson and Delilah story was in part repeated, and the public laid themselves out to watch | Weiberg. The upshot was the arrest of the man as the safe rifler of the China.
 One thousand sovereigns were found in a tin of fat stored away by him in Melbourne In his hut was discovered a wooden plane stuffed with gold. The wood was hollowed out and the gold dropped in. In the hut was also discov- cred @ bar of soap containing 200 sover. eigns.
 He told the detectives that he had l, 800 sovereigns concealed on his selec. tion and offered if they accompanied l l. ka ko lo-- AS may be surmised, he fooled the DO. lice into a wild, thick timbered region, took them suddenly off guard and made his escape. He was recaptured, howev. or, some months later.
 The mystery of the Iberia was cleared up in a still more singular manner. One day two boys playing at Williamstown saw a mouse run into a hole under the platform of the railway pier. One oi the boys started to dig the mouse out with a stick and to his surprise un. earthed ma of sovereigns. The po' lice were informed, and before the day was out 8, TAB sovereigns were recovered.
 The recovery of the Aredale gold wal more satisfactory as far as amount is concerned. For nearly two years the police labored in vain. The mystery might never have been cleared up but for an accident. A wharf Jumper fish. ing at Nelson pier, where the Aredale had been berthed, hooked on to some thing which excited his curiosity. Ob taining assistance, the Jumper succeed ed in bringing to the surface the miss ing box, with its treasure intact. The robber had evidently sunk the box, in tending to return for it when opportu nifty offered. Journal.