THE BANK HOLD-UP

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 8

THE BANK HOLD-UP

DEAD MAN'S BODY IDENTIFIED SAID TO BE AN AUSTRALIAN [Feb United Press Association.] AUCKLAND. November 25. The man shot dead at the llemiiera branch of the Bank of New Zealand at midday yesterday has been identified as Laurie Coulton. A witness at the inquest held to-day said that he stayed at the same apartment house as Coulton. The latter had told him ho came from Australia, and that his people had a sheep station in the Upper Hunter district of New South Wales. Coulton was twenty-four years old. He agreed to buy a used car from witness for £3OO, and wanted to take the car without paying a deposit, but witness refused. Coulton was to meet witness yesterday. Witness gave him an opportunity to cancel the purchase proposal, but Coulton said he was quite certain he would have the money, as he was expecting a cheque. The inquest was adjourned sine die. When the police searched Coulton’s effects in an apartment house this morning they ascertained that his name was Oswald Laurence Coulton, and that his father lives in Sydney. On October 4, 1929. he gained a civil aviation pilot’s certificate at Melbourne. He had told a city business man that he had intended to tackle the Australia to England flying record, but that ms father had refused to finance him. Included amongst his effects was a film scenario in his handwriting entitled ‘ Scotland Yard and the Underworld,’ dealing with a hold-up at a bank. Yesterday morning he borrowed 3s from his landlady, saying that he was going to the bank, and that when he returned he would be able to repay the money, and also pay his week’s board. It has also been ascertained that Coulton for eighteen months worked on a farm at Papakura, near Auckland, where he was well known and popular.