NEWMARKET GUN-MAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16, 20 January 1926, Page 8

NEWMARKET GUN-MAN.

GETS FIVE YEARS. .. LOADED REVOLVER PRESENTED. BANK MANAGER'S COURAGE PRAISED. Five years' imprisonment was the sentence imposed by Mr. Justice Stringer this morning on George Joseph Marshall, aged 61, who presented a loaded revolver at the head of Mr. R. Gilmore, manager of the Newmarket branch of the Auckland Savings Bank on the night of November 0, in an attempt to rob the bank. Marshall had also pleaded guilty to "bigamy, and the term of five years covered this offence. ' In seeking leniency for Marshall, Mr. Reidy pleaded in extenuation of the crime that prisoner .was a''man of 61 years, who had hitherto led a 'blameless life. In his time he had held many responsible positions. As far as the offence of bigamy was concerned, prisoner was married to a woman 70 years of age. from whom he was living apart. ' He had net seen her for 12 months. It was. of course, difficult to understand why Marshall, an educated man. did not institute the fullest inquiries before contracting a second marriage. Five years ago he had left the employ of the Auckland Savings Bank, owing to ill-health, having been paid 12 months' salary on termination of his engagement. Since then he had lent two sons £1000, and their failure to make good had further . affected . his health. Prisoner suffered from neuritis. Mr. Justice Stringer asked what proof the Court had of these statements. Judging by the depositions prisoner seemed to have been in the habit of inquiring through matrimonial agencies, with a view to marrying widows for their money. An examination of the circumstances went to show that the affair was not as serious as it at first appeared, began Mr. Reidy, but his Honor interjected to say that Marshall had a loaded revolver which he presented at the head of the bank manager. Continuing, counsel related the facts concerning Marshall's association with the 'bank, in which he started work as a ledger keeper, and rose to be manager of the Ponsonby branch. "He deliberately planned to rob the bank, armed himself with a loaded revolver, and devised means of masking his features." said Mr. Justice Stringer. '"'ln his own statement he says he had an accomplice waiting outside." The Judge said he wanted evidence concerning what had been said by counsel. He could not accept an ex parte statement. What had been said only went to show that Marshall had the means and the knowledge of making an attempt to rob the bank, which might have been successful. Mr. V. R. Meredith (Crown Prosecutor) said that Dr. T. Gray (medical superintendent of the Auckland Mental Hospital) had been unable to find any symptoms of mental trouble. In passing sentence. Judge Stringer said that Marshall had pleaded guilty to one of the most serious offences on the criminal calendar—one that made him liable to imprisonment for life and also for flogging. Apart from the question of prisoner's matrimonial vagaries, his character seemed to have been fairly good, and the Court intended to give him credit for what his counsel had said regarding his health. However, prisoner had armed himself with a revolver, and, awaiting an opportunity that would afford facilities for robbing the bank, he presented it at the manager's head. "I may say that, had it not been for the commendable conduct of the manager, who. I think, showed great courage and promptitude in rushing a man who presented a loaded revolver at his head, a very large sum might have been taken from , the bank," added Mr. Justice Stringer. After beinsr sentenced. Marshall explained that he had the revolver in his possession by reason of the fact that he had it when in a store at Hastings. "Oh. it does not matter where you had it." retorted the Judge. "On t.hi« occasion you had it in your baud pointed at the bank manager's head!"