BANK TELLER MURDERED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 17, 21 January 1926, Page 7

BANK TELLER MURDERED.

THE VICTORIA CASE. SECOND MAN CHARGED. MELBOURNE, January 20. Douglas Robertson, aped 37, was charged at the Police Court to-day with murdering Mr. YV. F. C. Almeida, formerly teller of the Hampton branch of the Commercial Bank of Australia, on November 28, 1924. Accused was committed for trial. A statement alleged to have been made by Robertson was put in as cvi- I dence. This stated that" accused is a native of Xew Zealand. He come to Australia about 1G months ago purely for a holiday. On his arrival in Melbourne lie was unfortunate in makine the acquaintance of Perkins. When Robertson said he desired to return to Xew Zealand Perkins asked him if he would like to take £200 or £300 back with him, and outlined a scheme for robbing , the teller who. ' Perkins said, was short of money and ' would not resist. Robertson said he agTeed. He and Perkins then went to the bank, Perkins Jjoinjr jn 6rst. When Robertson entered he said he saw Perkins pointing a revolver at the teller. According to the plan he made for the partition. He heard a deafening renort and saw the teller fall. Perkins jumped over the counter. Robertson asked what he had done, and Perkins replied: "'Get a move on, get the money and get out." Robertson paid Ire grabbed the money, ran to the waiting motor car and eventually got home. Later he read of the teller's death and of the arrest of Perkins, and he remained in hiding.— (A. ; and N.Z. Cable.) The robbery and murder occurred in the bank at Hampton just as Mr. : Almeida, a young man, was about to close the office, in which he was work- , ing alone. His version of the outrage , was that two nven dashed into the bank and one of them (Perkins) pointed a revolver at him. at the same time com- . manding him to put up his hands. Dis- . regarding the demand Mr. Almeida . jumped behind a partition, where he I seized a revolver that was lying on a desk. Immediately he reappeared the . robber who had th-e revolver "fired at him, and the bullet struck him just below the heart. The two men then proceeded to 1 rob the bank. As they were leaving Mr. t Almeida rushed after them .and bailing ! up Perkins brought about his arre~r. The other man 'Robertson) escaped. Mr. Almeida was taken to a hospital, where he died.