SENSATIONAL AFFAIR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 12, 15 January 1914, Page 4

SENSATIONAL AFFAIR

STRUGGLE IN AN HOTEL. DETECTIVE AND MAN WITH A REVOLVER. (BT TELEORAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, 14th January. A sensational affair is reported to have occurred in Coker's Hotel, Manchesterstreet, this morning, a violent struggle for supremacy ensuing between a police detective and a man whom the detective wished to interview in reference to a burglary that had occurred in the neighbourhood some few hours before. Late last night, or in the early hours of this morning, the saddlery establishment of Messrs. Triggs and Denton, Manchester-street South, was broken into, and some gold and bronze medals were abstracted from a case. Entrance was effected through a window at the back of the premises. Acting upon information received, Detective Regan proceeded to Coker's Hotel at about 11 o'clock tlu's morning and went up to a man standing in the main entrance. As the detective approached the man it is alleged that the man's hand went to his hip pocket, and, fearing trouble, the detective grappled with him. Thereupon a violent struggle ensued, the two contestants fighting and grappling ' with each other in the main entrance of the hall, in a side passage, and in the bar. In the meantime an urgent summons had gone out for assistance, and Detective O'Connor made his appearance on the scene. The two officers then had the man handcuffed and conveyed to the police station. At the police station lie was searched, and in his hip pocket was found a seven-chambered revolver,' fully loaded, whilst a box of cartridges was 1 also discovered in his possession. It is stated that there were also found on him some of the articles missing from the shop. a