ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1913, Page 8

ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

A BOXING DAY INCIDENT ! 1 M '~& 'ie "IT ' i thee!* mkN Committed >for ' Three' tftll, strongly-built men-^John Condon, Thomas Donovan, and William jßtenry Adams—appeared before Dr. Jil'Arthur, S.M., at the Magistrate's ii<3ourt this morning to answer to a charge tJf assaulting John Grey and robbing him .of 7s in money and watches and chains fitted at £20. JMr.C. V. _Goulter appeared for Condon aftePDwSßVan'anck'Mri'V; R.'Mere- % John' Grey safd that on Boxing Day be saw one of the accused, Donovan, on the Day's Bay feray wharf and D.onovan «iked him if he' Would come and have a "<mnk. It was agreed that witness, 'j&onovan, and the two other accused, ■^horn he subsequently met, should all ivgtarn by the 1 o'clock 1 boat. This they i«Sd, and on arrival at Wellington they 4l had' drinks at the Pier Hotel. He j^d never seen any one of the three until thafc day. They all four then went tt> Adams's house in Lome-street, where Lj|s host asked him to sit down on a cftuch. After some conversation they •afcked witness to have some more liquor 'Ad he did—it was whisky. After he Bad this he felt sick and he asked to ,■& excused and <go • outside, Donovan, said that he'd better have sjftiother" drink. Seeing that Grey. ,^|as determined ■: 'to go outside "{iporiovari grabbed him by the throat 'irfid nose, flaying '-'You'll have to take .'ic!" The other two assisted to hold I 2ham down on the couch, and one of them •f&id, "Hand 1 ' us a spoon." This was ;*f&rthcoming, 'and il was forced' in be■"t^oen Ofays tdeth to open His mouth. Malf a cup of liquor was then forced' ? <fown his throat, while he in vain, tried j 1$ call for the police. He was quite wjverpowered, however, and could only ■^reniembei' being carried off the couch; *ipid outside.' to (the back door of 'the next/ sljoflse, which was empty. He Was put' ■o|i the floor aloagside the fireplace, "iponovan still had hold of him by the jfthxoat and nose. Ho received several Itfifows on the stomach, and his coat and i collar were taken off. Someone said. under his arms, and see.il he has ,any moneys there," This was done", Hie jabots were then taken off and one sock •vfas ateo- removed, to see if there was viay money .there. Three watches and -tfei'e'e ' chains' Were' then removed from ,Wifl waistcoat, and his loose silver (about 7|) wa« also i taken." He received another bio* in the stomach, and this •finally "put him out." When he came ttj^aeajn^ he put on his clothing and left^Tie*room'"for'ihe Mount Cook Police "Staiaoff/ Ho then felt 'Very ill, He took '■Detective Cassells to the house where he had gone with Donovan, The police fwent in firat, and then he wad calted in,', l Accused Adams was there, and wit•jl^fcs; ;ide»tifi«J him as one of the men ■who robb3d him, , Adams denied this. SWi'tness Jater identified Donovan and 'Condon At the Mount Cook Police Sta"timfc M Ellen Elffl&beth Adams, wife of one of the. accused > said that Donovan - and <?dhß6n were both staying at her house lorispme days before 26th December. t!At the time when the trouble took place tehe'Av'a's asleep. ; 'ffttfstable MTHugh gave evidence as to >*ihe,-finding of the stolen property in the "of No. 48, Lome-street. They ...were., wrapped in a piece of linen and ■*pfarlted in a clump of ivy. ' Detective Cassells said that he went Ho- Adams's house and told him of <!!!di"<3s's complaint. Adams accompanied i-fchef- t 'd,etective to the police station, where jilie made a statement denying all knowof the robbery. On the 31st Dec«om^er witness again sjjw , Adams and ysubsetmently showed him the stolen jjewellefy and charged him with the t'offence. Later Adams's wife called to ■sitee '\Ata when he was in the cell, and (4fleV this he made a statement to ■f'D'e-te&ivc Cassells. After detailing the i •-•events leading up to the robbery accused rf«aid, "Paddy -told me* that 'he thought 'Corey had some<money./I gaid, 'If he has, '"tajte.him away from here and. get it ; don't do it here,' Paddy said 'I can dose and gave him some stuff in a cup, raying, " 3tTs, done.' '.'' I Donovan also_ made a statement and Risked for "a fair ago." All three were committed to the Sup;ffeme Court fof trial, being allowed bail I Jn their own recognisances of £550 each.