BANK TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 January 1926, Page 5

BANK TRAGEDY

STATEMENT BY ACCUSED.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

MELBOURNE, January 20. Douglas Robertson was to-day charged with th© murder of the bank teller Almeida, and was committed for trial.

A statement alleged to have been made by Robertson was put in as evidence. This stated that Robertson is a native of New Zealand and came to Australia, about sixteen months ago, purely on a holiday. On his arrival in Melbourne he was unfortunate in making the acquaintance of Perkins. When Robertson said he desired to return to New Zealand, Perkins asked if he would like to take two or three hundred pounds back with him, and outlined a scheme for robbing the teller, who, Perkins said, was short of money, and would not resist. Robertson agreed, 'he said, and lie and Perkins went to the bank, Perkins going in first. When Robertson entered, he saw Perkins pointing a revolver at the teller. According to plan, he made for the partition. He heard a deafening report and saw the teller fall. Perkins jumped over the counter and Robert>m asked what he had done. Perkins replied: “Get a move on! Get the money and get out!” Robertson grabbed money and ran to a waiting motor car, and eventually got home. Later he (Robertson) read of the teller’s death, and of the arrest of Perkins, and he remained in hiding.