CHARGE AGAINST AN EX-POLICE INSPECTOR.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7382, 7 August 1889, Page 3

CHARGE AGAINST AN EX-POLICE INSPECTOR.

WELLINGTON, July 28. Robert BulleD, formerly Inspector of Police at Napier, has been arrested on several charges of extraordinary conduct The first charge is that of threatening a woman named Elizabeth Mclnder. He went to plaintiff's house and accused her of robbing him of J6150, at the same time saying, " 1 will do for you; I will break every bone in your body." Bullen had in his possession a loaded revolver, and threatened to shoot a man who came to the woman's assistance. Bullen fired the revolver in the air, and then went away. Prisoner was charged with the above offence yesterday afternoon, and, on application for a remand, Mr Edwards, solicitor, said he intended laying a far more serious charge against him on behalf of Geo. Norbury and Austin Coom, both of whom had been threatened by Bullen with a revolver, and an indictable information against the accused was being prepared. Norbury, it appears, sheltered Mrs Mclnder when driven from her home by the prisoner, and the latter on hearing of this threatened to take Norbury's life. Bullen went to Norbury's house, and called out to the latter, " Come outside and I will blow your brains out." Austin Coom is a carpenter, residing next Mrs Mclnder, and at about midnight he saw Bullen with a carter removing Mrs Mclnder's furniture. He asked the accused his authority for his action, whereupon the latter knocked him down with his fist, and drawing a revolver from his hip pocket presented it in Coom's face, saying " I will blow your brains out," and at the same time making use of other threatening epithets. A further charge of breaking and entering Mrs Mclnder's house, and also of stealing goods and money, will be preferred against him. Bullen was taken before the Magistrate in the afternoon, when evidence to the above effect was given, and the accused was remanded till Monday. The Bench refused bail.

WELLINGTON, July 30. In the Magistrate's Court to-day. Robert Bullen, ex-Inspector of Police, was charged before the Magistrate and two Justices "that he did assault, beat, and wound Austin Coom on the 27th inst." Sureties of the peace were accordingly asked for. The accused, who pleaded " not guilty," was defended by Mr Menteath. The plaintiff continued his evidence, part of which was given on Saturday, to the effect that he saw the accused removing Mrs Mackinder's furniture, and on being asked for his authority, Bullen knocked plaintift down. In cross-examination, the witness said that the blow he received in the mouth from the accused made his teeth bleed. He certainly thought defendant intended to do Norbury harm. He was not much hurt himself, but confessed he felt scared. One of Worbury's men saw the accused point a pistol at witness. Bullen had met witness this morning and apologised for his conduct, asking that the charge should be withdrawn, and admitting that he had made a fool of himself. Mr Edwards enquire** if the witness had not found a pistol bullet since the affair. Witness— "Yes." Mr Menteath objected to this evidence. The Bench ruled that it was quite re.evant. Witness, continuing, said that he had found a bullet flattened out inside of the porch of Mrs Mackinder's house, aud the tiles bore a mark as if they had been struck. He had not heard defendant's explanation as to the firing of a shot. A police constable gave evidence to finding a revolver at accused's house with one chamber discharged. Two witnesses swore to seeing Bullen present a pistol at Coom's head, and remark, " I'll blow your brains out." Constable O'Rorke deposed that he heard the accused explain that he had fired one chamber in order to see if the cartridges were good. For the defence, it was contended that the offence was one which could scarcely be considered an Indictable one, the whole affair being of a trivial nature, and the injury to the complainant was but slight. As regards the presenting of the pistol, the whole affair, it was argued, might be summed up as a bad practical joke. The Bench committed the accused for trial, bail being allowed, himself in £100, and two sureties, £50 each.

Bullen was further charged this afternoon with levelling and pointing a revolver at the head of George Norbury, and making use of threats towards complainant on the 27th instant. As in the previous case, sureties of the peace were asked for. After evidence had been given in support of the charge, the Bench bound over the accused to keep the peace for three months, himself in £100 aud two sureties in £50 each.