HOLD-UP ON HIGHWAY

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 1 May 1934, Page 4

HOLD-UP ON HIGHWAY

GANG OF FOUR CHARGED * CAR RETURNING FROM RACES MAN LYING ON ROADSIDE. .{By Telegraph—Press Association.) DANNEVIRKE. April 30. Arising out of an Incident near Ormgi on Easter Saturday evening, when {i motor-ear containing' three young men, W. J. Cochrane, R. G. Russel] and Richard Ellingham, returning to Dannevirke from Feilding races was allegedly held up, Rbnaicl Herbert Floyd, aged 19 years, labourer, Robert Floyd, labourer, Jordan Madden, aged 17, labourer, and a juvenile aged Iti appeared to-day before Mr J. Miller. S.M., charged that being ai mod with an offensive weapon, a six-chambered revolver,. they assaulted with intent to rob the persons in the car mentioned. They pleaded’ not guilty and were committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Napier. Cochrane who is a linesman in the Public Works Department, said when near Te Rehunga turn-off on the main road, about four miles from Dannevirke at 9 p.m. he saw a many lying on the roadside. After travelling about 12 yards oast him lie stopped the car, reversed and pulled up. He was about to got out when a man appeared on the opposite .side. He seemed to have a scarf around the lower part of his face and was unsteady.

MAX WITH REVOLVER, The man opened the car door and said: ‘"it’s all right.. Wait a minute:” Cochrane looked round and saw the man had a revolver and was holding it with both hands and pointing it in die direction of the feet of the occupants of the cai'. Cochrane was scared when, he saw die revolver and Ellingham. told him to wh.p up. The man was still near die door of the ear, but Cochrane switched the engine on, put the car into gear and drove off. As the car was going something hit it, followed by another sound as if a stick had been thrown against the back of the car. In cross-examination Cochrane said the attitude of the man who opened the car door could hardly be described as threatening. Cochrane first thought there had been an accident. When he saw the gun he thought it was something more serious. He thought they wore being held up. Russell said the. man had a revolver in liis right baud and seemed to be steadying it with his left hand. He also noticed two men approaching the rear of the car. They were carrying batons about three feet long. Then ho heard Ellingham tell Cochrane to whip up. Russell “got the breeze up,” thinking he was .going to be shot.

TWO BANGS HEARD. As the car was moving off there were two bangs, the second one being fairly sharp, and he ducked when he heard it. He could not say whether it was a report from a revolver. Russell said he knew two of the accused by sight and remarked: “No doubt che man with the gun was just as surprised to see me as I was to see trie gun.” Richard Ellingham gave similar evidence.

The evidence of the - police detailed che steps taken after the offence yus eported. and the subsequent arrest of the accused men, who made statements admitting participation in the affair. The revolver allegedly used was taken from the premises where one of the accused worked and was put back lie following day. The hold-up was apparently arranged on Good Friday evening one of the accused allegedly having said something to the effect of holding up a ear‘as they might get a lot of money. Other evidence indicated that the accused regarded the affair more in the nature of a jpke. The revolver was an. old one and might or might not have zone off if it had been loaded. It dicl not revolve automatically..

The accused pleaded guilty to a further charge of alarming Francis Lonnie Phill'p bv discharging detonators under a dwelling-house at To Rehunga They were committed for sentence.