MINTARO.
[From our own Correspondent.]
Mintaro, June 20.
In your yesterday’s issue I observe a paragraph headed “Mintaro,” which states, in reference to the alleged robbery reported by your Mintaro correspondent in his letter of June 8. Mr. John Peake, landlord of the Cross Roads Inn, writes to the following effect, namely:—”Mr. Jones, in coming from the Burra, drove into a creek near Mr. T. P. James’s fence, was thrown out of the cart, and had his hands hurt. He stated to Mr. James, who assisted him to get his horse and cart out of the creek, that he must have lost his money either at the Burra or where he met with his accident. On arriving at my house, where he stopped for the night, he made the same statement, and said he did not know how to meet the parties to whom he owed the money. He was here on Friday last, and denies ever to have made such a statement as your correspondent asserts.”
Now, Sir, in reply to the foregoing, I reported to you that he (Mr. Jones) reported having been robbed near the Cross Roads Inn, which he certainly did to upwards of 12 respectable persons in this township, who have authorized me to use their names in this letter, viz.—Messrs. McWaters, Torr, Turner, Leighton, Priest, and Lathlean, with various others, to whom his version of the story ran thus:—”I was coming from the Burra, and when near the Cross Roads Inn I was thrown out of my cart. At the same time a man came up to me who had a swag on his back, and I asked his help. He said, ‘Yes; but have you any money.’ I replied, ‘Yes, enough to give you a drink at the Cross Roads Inn.’ The man then endeavoured to force his hand into my pocket, which I tried to prevent by placing my hand on the outside of my pocket. The thief then cut my hand across with a knife. I could resist no longer, and was obliged to allow myself to he robbed, and it was the mercy of God I was spared my life.’ ”
Now, Sir, in justice to myself as a faithful reporter, I am bound to urge upon you the publication of this letter, although trespassing so much on your columns. We cannot help such reports being made at times; but such exposures as the present will make us careful whom we believe.
Most of the inhabitants pitied him from his report; but since Mr. Peake s contradiction, they have in several instances solicited me to give you this version of the affair.
