GUN IN BACK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 8

GUN IN BACK.

" KEEP DRIVING." TAXIMAN COVERED. COUPLE IN BACK SEAT. CIIRISTCHURCH SENSATION. (Hy Telegraph.— Prcs Assix-intloii.) ( HHISII. tl,i- day. "Drive In North Beach or I will Mow your brain* out.'' A -»l ii i I liml ( hri«l ill 11 ii li la\i driver tii r iii'i I r< • 111 n I in his si'nt lo down the luirrel of a siw n off shot j:m. Ih.it was at. Id.i:. yi'steril iy morning. For tlir tie\l liotir (lie t i\i <li iver. Mr. IT. M, Krilli, had one of (lie niont scn-»a tioiial and terrifying experiences of itkind I lie l ily lias known. Mehiuil hint wii- an mined ninii liolilin<r a jinn in on ■ liiind and gripping a woman 11\ i lie wri-i wit' i hit other. \ I unit 10..'11 l yesterday morning a in'n ii | | hi ill i'i I Mi. Ki'ilh and :i—K ■• < I to taken for a drive. ,\l. tin l ••hi uer of \rmagh and Colombo Streets tlir |iieked u|i two women. One ~.H in I lie «ea I with I In- driver a nil 111' 1 oilier iiol iii the liai'k with the stranger. "do on. tn ike for the lieiieh." the limit ordered I lie driver. (Mice over Ita rbadoeStreet t lie man changed hi* .iiitul and ordered lo lie taken lo St. Minns. The car Mopped there ami the woman in front got out. The man tried to persuade the woman in the lm k to go to North Iteaeh. She got out and I liked for ii moment or two with her friend, and then got hack into the car. She asked to lie driven to the Sipiarc.

"Level With My Eyes." Not, half a block had been covered when tliu until at the back snapped out, "Driver, I've got a. sawn-olf shotgun la-re. Drive to North Beach or I'll I»1«>»■." your brains out.'' Quickly the driver turned to look down the barrel of a sawn-otT slmtu'in. "It win* pointing right lit the level of iilT eyes." said Mr. Keith when relating hla amazing experience in n m|i :> I intrrview with ♦ lie "Star-Sun." "I did not know what to do. He had a lirm grip of the woman'* right wrist, while ho hold the shotgun with his right hand. I drove slowly on. playing for time. I made towards the beach. I kept looking to right and left in the hope of attracting help." Waa At His Mercy. " 'Do not look to the right or left. T can see you in tile rear vision mirror. Yon keep going or I'll blow your head off,' the man said in a menacing tone." The taxi driver, realising he wa« at the mercy of a desperate man, was scheming a plan of escape for the woman and himself. "What are you going to do when you get to the beach V' the taxi driver asked cn*ually. "I am 'going to commit suicide," came the astounding reply. "I cannot leave the lady here with you and that gun," Mr. Keith said. "You give mo the gun and I will let the lady stop." "No," said the man defiantly. "T am going to have a yarn with my wife first." It wan a tense moment. Mr. Keith kept on with hi* quiet, persuasive method*. Shrewdly the taxi driver suggested the man should unload the gun. After a time he agreed and withdrew a cartridge and handed it over. "You might have somo more cartridges in your pocket," said Mr. Keith. The man grinned and- produced some in hia hand.

.Still the eituation was desperately delicate, but the persuasive powers of Mr. Keitli still worked. In an off-hand way he suggested the man should give him half the gun. To his amazement, the stranfjer, who wn* obviously tinder a great strain, agreed. He broke the gun and handed the tnxi driver the barrel. The tension was over. taxi driver and the woman breathed freely for the first time. "[ con Id not possibly leave the woman with him." said Mr. Keith, "so 1 kept on arguing with him. Eventually, after a lot more bluff 011 my part, lie handed over the stock of the gun and three more cartridges which lie had in his pocket. Ho said he had bought the Hun with his last £4. Then lie broke down and started to cry with his head on the woman's lap. 1 suggested be should eomc into town and that he should see a doctor. After a time he agreed. "Near Fitzgerald Avenue the man demanded to get out. Relieved. Mr. Keith pulled up. Calmer now. the man got out and wandered off. Then Mr. Keith drove himself and the wornari to polico headquarter*. He handed ovor to the detectives a single-barrelled nhotgun and four cartridges. Detectives were out on the joh looking for the man as soon as they heard the story. It was not long before the stranger was arrested. He went quietly. Plea of Guilty. fn the Magistrate's Court this morning Alnn Stuart MeLachlan, aged 2R venrs. described as an electric welder, of Kdgeware Road, was charged that, he was deemed to be a rogue and vagabond, in that he was armed yesterday with a gun with felonious intent. MeLachlan pleaded guilty, and after evidence had been heard the magistrate. Mr. E. C. Levvey. granted a remand until February 13 to allow medical observation-of <th« prisoner.