STICKING-UP.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1168, 26 April 1910, Page 1

STICKING-UP.

McMINN AND PAWELKA WEEK.

; -ON TRIAL AT PALMERSTON.

j -In the Palmerston Court ves'terdav afternoon, Mr A. D. Thomson, S.M.", : began the hearing of the charges ; against Francis Alex. McMinn, a ! well-known Palmerstonian, in connection with the Pawelka panic. Mr C. 'A. Loughnan prosecuted and Mr H. It. Cooper defended. i MilL A YBOURNE'S STORY. i Mark Elliott La-ybourne, commission agent, who resided in 144, Ferguson street, who said that his dwelling was the last house but one on the right at Terrace End. He got home at about 6 o'clock, and, m consequence of something his wife told him, ho was proceeding to Tregurtba's to ring up the police. He was incidentally looking for some of the scouts, and on looking up Ferguson street he saw a man whom he waited for, and asked him, "Are you a scout?'' The man answered "'Yes." Witness, proceeded on his way, but soon heard a call, and on 100 King round he found that a man had him covered with his revolver. The man held the revolver in his left hand. "When they came close together the witness said, i "What might your name be? Is it S Pawelka?" He said, '-Yes. Don't ' you forget it." With that he took hold of Laybourne's right hand. The witness said, "That's all right," whereupon the man let go, and J jaybourne went on. He did not know McMinn except very slightly. He saw him in the company of .Detective Siddells next evening, 'and the only things he could say were that the hat | the man was wearing was similar to I McMinn's, and the voices were siniiI lar. Detective Siddells asked, "Do you recognise tin's as the man who stuck you up. Witness said, "No, I don't, only that hat seems the same, and the' voice seems familiar." McMinn said, "J. am the man.''' .McMinn also remarked that he had taken his false teeth out on the occasion of the sticking-up. While they were conversing in the presence of the detective McMinn removed his teeth again. The man who stuck him up, could walk steadily, but there was a strong smell of drink about him. Witness took the affair seriously, and naturally, at the time, thought his accoster was the escapee. FRANK CONFESSION TO A DETECTIVE. Detective James Siddells, of Wauganui, said that on the morning of Thursday, the 14th hist., ho saw AteMinn, and told him that he was instructed to clear up the scare, and asked him if he would mind, coming to the top of the town and meet some people with him. He consented, and after work they started. "I said on the way, '1 understand, McMinn, you fired the three shots heard that night and also stuck up several people. He said he had fired the shots and, stuck up Laybourne and Pratt and someone else whose name he did not know. He'did not stick up Richards. I took ■him to a certain shed and asked him to describe his movements, which he did, incidentally stating that he fired some shots after looking to sec if Powelka was about, and then went over to Shields. When we met Laybourne I said, 'Is this the man who stuck you up?' He said, 'No; the man spoke in a low voice.' I said, 'He says it was him who stuck you up.' Mr Laybourne said lip did not recog- J uiso the voice, and McMinn said, 'I had my teeth out.' MoMinn took his teeth out and spoke, and Laybourne .said that ho then recognised the voice. McMinn denied having stuck up a woman and also that he had had rC few drinks." To Mr Cooper: McMinn was perfectly frank in the matter, and did not appear to think he had done anything wrong. McMINN IN THE BOX. Francis Alexander McMinn. a plasterer, resident of Palmerston North, called, stated that on that particular Monday he was with Messrs Hunt, Sutton, and another assisting the police to look for Powelka. They offered their services to Sub-inspector j O'Donovan, and they were accepted by him, and they were out from. 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Slattery and the witness then reported to Inspector Wilson that they had suspicions of a house at the end of Fitzroy street. The Inspector told, them to be near ' the house at dusk. He and Slattery were to meet at the corner of Fergusson and East streets at 6.30. Slat--! tery was not there at the time appointed. He met Laybourne about fifteen yards from Baldwin's right-of-way. Laybourne was cycling away from him, and" witness noticed that he had short leggings on. McMinn sailed, "Challenge! Stop!" He did not speak nor stop. Mr Cooper: Why did you challenge him. Witness: Because I thought he was Powelka. The hearing of evidence on this charge was concluded, and the Magistrate adjourned his decision until today.