ROOF TOP INCIDENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 283, 27 October 1934, Page 9

ROOF TOP INCIDENT

SEQUEL IN COURT. MAN FOR SENTENCE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Oct. 26. * A scries of three charges was to-day preferred in the Supreme Court against Colin William Glass, a young man who was arrested in sensational circumstances on a city roof top at midnight on July 30. He was charged with attempting to discharge a loaded revolver at Detective Whitehead, with assaulting him, and with resisting him in the execution of his duty. The case was tried by Mr Justice Herdman. Mr Meredith prosecuted and Glass conducted his own defence.

Mr Meredith said the incident giving rise to the charges was a somewhat desperate one. AVhen accused was accosted on a city roof top at night he turned a revolver on Detective Whitehead, saying, “Stick ’em up or I’ll shoot you.” AVhen he had a revolver presented at Detective AVhitehead’s chest there was a distinct click from it, but for some reason the cartridge did not go off. AVhen lie was finally overpowered he was found to have in his possession a gelignite fuse, detonators ami a blue silk mask.

Detective AA’hitehead gave lengthy evidence.

Eric A\ r right, a member of the staff of the Bank of New South AVales, Newmarket, said the revolver produced had been taken from the hank. There had been five live cartridges and one spent one in it. It was arranged so that when the trigger was pulled the empty chamber was struck. Glass elected neither to give evidence nor to make a statement to the jury ; His Honour drew attention to the seriousness of the charge of attempting to shoot and said accused’s conduct on the roof had been extraordinary. It was plain the man was armed and that he had material for damaging a. safe or building. He had made a violent struggle with the detective and had threatened to shoot.

The jury was absent only 20 minutes before returning a verdict of guilty on the major charge of attempting to discharge a firearm. Acused was remanded for sentence.