ANOTHER GARROTTING CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 43, 19 February 1909, Page 6

ANOTHER GARROTTING CASE.

AN OLD MAN BOBBED. THREE MEN COMMUTED FOB TRIAL. The story of a very determined attack on an old man by three others was told in the Wellington Police Court on Wednesday, before Mr. W. G. Riddle, &M. The case arose out of an occurrence at the Cricketers' Arms Hotel on the night of February Bth, when, it is alleged, three men, named John Trainor, William Thomas and Geo. Williams, alias Crawford, alias Wilson, alias Thompson, assaulted one James Carter, and robbed him of 6/. Charles Hancox, porter at the Cricketers' Anns, said that on February Bth. he Eaw the accused Williams about 6.30 p.m. He was looking in at., the .door of the front .bar. He turned sound and walked to an outhouse. The -witness went into the hotel by another, door, and passed through to the backyard to a spot alongside to where Williams was going.Witness saw Williams and the old man Carter come to the spot, followed by Trainor and Thomas. Williams said to Carter, " Huilo, I know you; T think Fve seen you before." " Yes, I think I know you," said Carter. Williams then went to shake hands with Carter, but instead grabbed Mm by the throat. They threw him against the wall, Carter calling out, "Take your-hands out of my pockets." The old man was fairly wiry, and struggled, calling out "They're mobbing mc! Murder! Police 1" Some money dropped, and the accused picked it up. The accused.said, "Stop that, or we'll do for you." Then they threw him hard up against the fence, and uown to the concrete. Witness dashed towards them, and Trainor and Williams ran away. Thomas stopped behind, and leaned over Carter, who was'lying on his back saying, saying, "Hullo, what are you doing here?" The witness then went into the bar, saying: "They've ' garotted that old man." He then - saw Thomas go down Tory-street- and join the others. They turned down Jessie-street, witness following them cautiously. They went into Taranaki-stTeet and then down to the Terminus Hotel. The witness then ran to the Manners street police station, and called Constable Hodgson. " Have you got any detectives here?" he said. "I've got some garrotters." Constable Hodgson rang up Clyde Quay for Constable McKelvie, as there might be trouble, and a few minutes later the witness and the two policemen walked into the Terminus Hotel. The witness'pointed to the three accused, and said " Take them." They were at once arrested. The witness was positive that the three accused were the men he had seen. When asked if they had anything to say, the accused said they had" reserved their defence. They pleaded not guilty, and were committed for trial. Mr. Kirkcaldie made application for hail- '.- ■: SuhTlnspector Phair opposed-the granting of bail. All the'accusedhaibeencon-. victed before. His Worship said they were entitled: to'bail, but it must be. substantial. The'! accused would have to, enter into their own recognisances -of £100. each, with two sureties of .£SO. ~