CARRIED GUN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 201, 25 August 1937, Page 15

CARRIED GUN.

£30 FINE IMPOSED. , j ALLEGATIONS IN COURT. SHOT FIRED IN CLUB. '' " ' • i SYDNEY, August 20. 'Allegations that two men named Batros and Caletti had been "standing over" him, were made by Anthony Pisani, proprietor of the Foreign Club, Darlinghurst, at the Central Police Court. Pisani, aTso tcnown as Pacini, •wak fined £30 for carrying an unlicensed pistol.

Detective Windsor said that at 9.15 p.m. on February 24, accompanied by Detective Parmeter, he called at the Foreign Club, 112, Oxford Street, and Pisani requested them to remove two men, Guido Caletti and Neville Batros, from the premises.

"He said they had been 'standing over' him," said Windsor. "As Batros and Caletti were leaving," he continued, "an altercation took place between Batros and a woman named Teddy Dee, who assists the defendant in the management of the club. '' "Before we could intervene, defendant produced a revolver and fired a shot at Batros, inflicting a minor flesh wound on the left hip.

Knife Found. "The revolver was taken, from Mm, and he said he had found it in the club. "It was a seven-chamber ,22 calibre revolver, and contained five live bullets and one empty shell. "While Pisani was being searched," Windsor went on, "Parmeter took a sheath knife from the defendant's righthand trousers pocket and asked him why he was carrying it. He said he used it to scale fish." Replying to Mr. J. Lamaro (for Pisani), Windsor said that Pisani had stood his trial for malicious injury and was acquitted. Mr. Lamaro: "Stand over" means demanding money with threats and arms, doesn't it? Windsor: Yes. Witness added that the knife eould havje been used for the purpose mentioned ,by defendant. It had been used fairly frequently, he said, judging by the wear of the handle. Pisani, in evidence, said that he found the revolver in the pocket of the billiards table and did not hand it to the police because he thought the owner would come forward and claim it. He said he had been threatened previously by Batros and Caletti and was frightened to go out. "I bought the knife about three weeks before and used it for cutting up big fish," he continued. Had Hold of Girl. Pisani said -he did not know that Oaletti and Batros were going to visit him . that night. He said that he had had the gun only two day 9, V Replying to the Prosecutor, he said he was struggling with Batros, who had hold of the girl Dee, when the shot was fired. Pisani was fined £30, and was allowed six months in which to pay. Pisani pleaded not guilty to a second charge, alleging that he had carried a sheath-knife whilst in custody on another charges >:-.* Theviniigistrate,. Mr. Parker, said he was satisfied that defendant carried the knife for a lawful purpose, but thought otherwise abotit the-gun. On the second count, Pisani was discharged. | *