WEAPONS FOUND

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 50, 27 August 1931, Page 10

WEAPONS FOUND

PISTOL AND BLUDGEONS

SEQUEL TO SHOP-BREAKING

A MAN ASSAULTED

Inquiries by detectives into the circumstances of an attempt to break and enter a Self-Help grocery store at Petone last month led to the finding of a .45 automatic pistol, ammunition, two bludgeons, and a black mask. As a result Leslie Gordon Clarke, a seaman, aged 22, William Edward Brown, a cabinetmaker, ' aged 27, and Sydney John Hodge, a carpenter, aged 35, appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day. Clarke pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting James William Batten at Island Bay with intent to. rob, to two charges of breaking and entering and theft, and one of attempted breaking and entering. On those charges he was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He also pleaded guilty to having unlawfully in his possession an automatic pistol and ammunition. The Magistrate said that he would adjourn that charge sine die, and deal with it after Clarke had been before the Supreme Coßrt. Hodge, who pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted breaking and entering, was also committed to the Supreme Court for Bentence. Brown, who was represented by Mr. J. Meltzcr, pleaded not guilty to one charge of breaking and entering and theft, and one of attempted breaking and entering, and was committed for trial. Bail was allowed in his case on a bond of £250, with one security of £250. . . Reginald J. France, manager of the Self Help grocery store in Jackson street, Petone, said that when he arrived at his shop on Ist August he found that a hole had been bored in the back door, leaving room for a hand to be inserted. DISTURBED AT WORK. Ronald C. Pashley said that on Friday, 31st July, he went to the Self Helpstore at Petone and arranged to have some groceries left at the rear of the premises after the shop had closed. When he called back about 10.30 p.m. he saw two men standing in the porch. They moved out, carrying a greenishcoloured suitcase similar to the one produced, and went into Jackson street. The men could have turned into Emerson street if they had wished. Alfred Mewton, a motor driver, said that on Ist August about 6.55 a.m. he found the suitcase produced beside, the fence of his house in Emerson Btreet. Inside the suitcase he found a brief bag, a pipe wrench, a brace and bit, and a chisel. - • Valentine L. Sinclair, 7 warehoiisg manager of the Saracen Shoe Company, said that on sth August lie found that ten pairs of shoes and boots were missing from the warehouse. Witness identified a number of pairs of shoes produced in Court. Edward John Tavener, a Post Office messenger, said he had known Brown since July last. He had been living at a boarding-house with Brown, and had later moved into a bach with him. On 28th or 29th July witness took a leather bag to the bach. Brown told him to get only enough groceries to last until Monday, as a couple of fellows he knew were going to break into a shop. Witness met Brown in Adelaide road on 31st July and they bought a few groceries. LOST THE BAG. While they were having tea Brown said he had to go to Petone that night. Witness went out after tea, and when he returned at 10.30 p.m. Clarke and Brown were at the bach together. Taverner had supper with, them, and Brown said he had lost "Henry's brief bag," and also the greenish suitcase Brown then said that he had broken into a shop and had been chased. He said that the shop was down by the pipe bridge. Browtf also said he had lost a brace and bit and some tools Witness identified the green suitcase and said that the brief bag was similar to the one he had had. On Saturday night Clarke, Brown, ana a sailor were at the bach. Clarko was trying to set the sailor to buy a pair of boots. Cross-examined by Clarke, witness said that ho had got the brief has containing groceries from a seaman named Phillips on the Matai. Witness did not pay for the groceries, and he did not know what shop they were bought at. Geoffrey A. J. Simmonds, floor walker at Woolworths, Ltd., Cuba street, said that on 17th June he found that the shop had been broken into overnight. JNme tins of tobacco, valued at 12s 9d had been stolen. •■> ' 'James William Batten, a pawnbroker and jeweller, of Cuba street, said that on 30th July he found that his premises had been entered and an attempt had been made to open a door leading into the main shop; Witness did not miss anything from the premises. On the night of 2nd August witness was going to his home at Island Bay about 10.20 p.m. As he was walking along Derwent street towards tho Esplanade he passed , a man who was standing on the edge of the kerb near the cutting. He walked on about twenty yards' and heard someone .walking behind him. ■ Suddenly he felt that something was wrong. He did not feel anything, but he tried to collect his thoughts, and in doing so he turned round. Just as he turned someone hit him on the right side of tho head with some heavy article. Witness only received one blow, which cut his face. Witness then called out, and the man ran away. OFFENCES ADMITTED. Detective W. M'Lennan said he brought Clarke to the Petone Police Station on 13th August and interviewed him in connection with an attempt to break and enter the Self-Help store and the City Loan Office, breaking and en* tering and theft at the shoe company's premises, and in connection with an automatic pistol and two bludgeons which were alleged to be in his possession. He admitted the offonces. In his statement ho said that he had never carried^the automatic pistol or the bludgeons in his possession., After the accused had made his statement he was arrested. Witness also questioned the accused in connection with an assault on Batten at Island Bay, and ho said that he had assaulted him but could not remember tho date. Later that night witness arrested Hodge at Petone, and h? admitted that he had attempted to break and enter the Self-Help store. On 15th August witness interviewed Clarke again in connection with tho breaking and entering of Woolworth's, and the accused admitted the offence. Detective Kane said that on 13th August he searched a bach in Abel Smith street occupied by Brown and Clarke. In a suitcase under the bed witness found two new pairs of shoes. Brown denied taking any part in the breaking and entering of the Saracen Shoe Company. In a locked attache caso witness found two bludgeons, a fully loaded .45 automatic Colt, cartridges, and about two dozen empty shells. Also in the attache case was a black mask. Brown said that until the attache case was opened he did not know what it contained. Brown denied knowing anything about the attempted breaking and entering of the Self-Help store.