COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23536, 14 January 1942, Page 6

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

TWO MEN CHARGED WITH ROBBERY USE OF VIOLENCE ALLEGED (P.S.S.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 13. Evidence of two alleged robberies with violence in Wellington was given to-day in the Magistrate’s Court. In both cases the accused were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. They were Andrew May, a salesman, aged 31, and Edward Ernest Aitken, a labourer, aged 25. They were jointly charged with robbing a man on December 27, using violence to him immediately before the robbery. Aitken alone was charged with robbing another man with personal violence on December 26. In the first case. Charles Rowe said he lived in Christchurch and was on holiday in Wellington on i December 27. He met Aitken at 7.15 p.m. that day in an amusement parlour. Aitken said he was going to a party and offered witness a ride. Witness. May, Aitken and another man got into the taxi and the driver was directed to drive to. Grass street, Oriental Bay. The car was stopped at the bottom of the steps and the four men started up them. Aitken struck witness on the face and knocked him down. May held the witness and a third man held his hands over his mouth. Aitken took four £5 notes from one pocket and four £1 notes and 10s 6d in silver from his hip pocket, leaving him only 8s 6d. Every time witness called for help May kicked him on the head. His assailants ran down the steps to the taxi. Witness caught up, but May told him that if he came further he would “get some more.” Witness asked- for the money to be handed over. Aitken said, “Come on. We will beat it.” Aitken paid the driver and the three men went up the steps. .Witness drove in the taxi to the Taranaki street police station and reported the occurrences. His head injuries were treated at the hospital from December 28 to January 7. Augustus Williams, a taxi-driver, said that Rowe arrived with his face bleeding badly and swollen, and his cheek bruised, saying that he had been robbed. • Evidence of the accused being found by the police in a restaurant at 2.45 in the morning after the alleged robbery was given by Sergeant S. McBurney. Detective B. G. Walker said that Aitken had £ll Bs, including two £5 notes, two 10s notes, and 8s in silver, which he said he had earned, and May had £8 11s 2d, including one £5 note, two £1 notes, and one 10s note.. Both accused pleaded not guilty. The complainant in the case against Aitken, an elderly businessman, said he went into the bar of the Royal Tiger Hotel, Taranaki street, at 5.45 p.m. on Boxing Day and was abused repeatedly by Aitken, who was with some other men. To pacify him he bought him a drink. As he took a note out of his wallet a £1 note fell on the floor. Accused rushed to pick it up, and as witness put his hand on it, accused put his foot on witness’s hand saying, ‘‘That’s mine.” Witness left the hotel to go home, but was followed. Accused and another man forced him to sit down, pulled his hat over his eyes, searched all his pockets except one, tearing the buttons off his waistcoat and taking his gold watch and chain, wharf pass, keys, tobacco pouch, and 15s. Later the watch was returned to him. He found that his sovereign case and chain had been put in one of his pockets. Witness said that while May was in the dock he recognised him as the man who, after he had been robbed, had told him to ‘‘clear out.” Aitken pleaded not guilty.