REVOLVER PLAY

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1925, Page 7

REVOLVER PLAY

INCIDENT AT HASTINGS. HASTINGS, April 21. For a few minutes on Saturday a busy corner in Heretaunga street presented a scene that is unusual in New Zealand, except on the kinema screen when Tom V A ] s “starring.” A large crowd of inoffensive shoppers and pro meanders were h(dd up by a wildlookjng young man who was flourishing a large revolver. This individual, it seems,’ finding the footpath more congealed than was to his fancy, loudly demanded more room to pass, and gave point and emphasis to his demand by producing the weapon. Ho was speedilv given all the room he needed, but th<* outcry of affrighted spectators had, the natural effect of augmenting the crowd and in a matter of seconds the strci-t was blocked from side to side by a suiging muss of curious, but nervous people, moving slowly after the man, who, with his face to the multitude and

still brandishing his revolver, backed sicwly round Russell street corner . One intrepid spectator made a rush and wrested the weapon from the holder, who, however, regained possession of it. When the. crowd had reached the post office it was .joined by Constable Allsop, who pursued the man behind the building and effected a captu”o without a shot being fired. The man, who gave his name as Joseph Henry Aanenson, aged 22, wax removed to the lock-up and was this morn ing brought before the court and reman ded on charges of drunkenness, printing a revolver at a person in the street and being unlawfully in possession g‘: an unregistered revolver. The wea , >n was of an old-fashioned type and it was not loaded.