MOTOR CAR HOLD-UP

Evening Star, Issue 21708, 1 May 1934, Page 4

MOTOR CAR HOLD-UP

YOUNG MEN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL [P*B (JXTTXD PrXSI ASSOCIATION.] DANNEVIRKE, April 30. Arising out of an incident near Oringi on Easter Saturday evening when a motor car containing three young men, W. J. Cochrane, R. G. Russell, and Richard Ellingliam, who were returning to Dainievirke from the Feilding Races, was allegedly held uip, Ronald Herbert Floyd, aged nineteen, a labourer, Robert Floyd, aged eighteen, a labourer, Stanley Jordan Aladdem, aged seventeen, a labourer, and a juvenile, aged sixteen, appeared to-day before Air J. Miller, S.M., charged that, being armed With an offensive weapon, a sixchambeied revolver, they did assault, with intent to rob, the persons in the Oar previously mentioned. Cochrane, who is a linesman in the Public Works Department, said that when near the Te Reluinga turn-off on the Main road, about tour miles from Dannevirkc, at 9 p.nl., be saw a man lying On the roadside. After travelling about twelve yards past him he stopped the car, reversed, and pulled up. He was about to get out .when a -man appeared on the opposite side. He seemed to have a scarf around the lower part of his face, and wiis unsteady. The man opened the car door and said: “It’s all right. Wait a minute.” Cochrane looked round and saw that the man had a revolver. He was holding it in both hands and pointing it in the direction of the feet of the occupants of the car. Witness got a scare when he saw the revolver, and Ellingbam told him to “ whip up.” The man was still near the door of the car. Witness switched the engine on, put tire car into gear, and drove oft. As he Was going something struck the car, followed by another sound as if a stick had been tin-own against the back of the car; Jn cross-examination witness said that fhe attitude of the man who opened the door could hardly be described as threatening. Witness first thought there had been an accident, but.when he saw the gun he thought that it was something more serious. He thought that they were being held up. Russell said that the man had a revolver in his right hand and seemed to be steadying it with his left hand. Witness also noticed two men approaching the rear of the car. They were carrying batons about three feet long. He then beard Ellingbam tell Cochrane to “whip up.” Witness “got the breeze up.” thinking that he was going to be shot. As the car was moving off’ there Were two bangs. The second one was fairly sharp, and he ducked when he heard* it. Ho could not say whether it was a report from a revolver. Witness knew two of the accused by sight, and remarked : • “No doubt the man with the gun was just as surprised to see me as I vvas to see the gun.” Richard Ellingbam gave similar evidence. The police detailed the steps taken after the offence was reported, and the subsequent arrest of the accnsd. who made a statement admitting participation in the affair. The revolver was taken from the premises where one of the accused worked and was put back the following day. The held-ilp wag apparently arranged off Good Friday evening, one of the accused allegedly having said something about “ holding up ” a car as they might get a lot of money. Other evidence indicated that the accused regarded the affair. in the nature of a joke. The revolver Was an old one and might or might not have gone off if loaded. It did not revolve automatically. The accused pleaded not guilty and were committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Napier. The accused pleaded guilty to a further charge of alarming Francis Lennie Phillip by discharging detonators under his dwelling house at Te Reluinga, and Were committed for sentence