SENT TO GAOL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 238, 5 September 1935, Page 2

SENT TO GAOL.

DANGEROUS CRIMINALS. SEQUEL TO PANMURE AFFAIR. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Sept. 4. Two dangerous criminals who wero arrested last night after a struggle in. the darkness appeared in the Police Court. They are William Poa Thomas, 26, and George Frederick Murphy, 39. Both are Maoris. They were charged with being rogues and vagabonds in that they were found armed with offensive weapons, namely, sandbags, and found unlawfully by night within enclosed premises. Both accused pleaded guilty but denied a felonious intent. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said that he and Detective Finlay in a patrol car at 5.30 p.m. noticed the accused in a taxi and trailed them to Panmure, where they waited till darkness came. They then went up a lonely road to the residence of a Chinese. The detectives followed closely and saw them walk to the back of the house. As they returned Detective Finlay flashed a torch on them and witness said “Hullo Murphy, what are you doing here.” Murphy pulled something from his pocket and witness grappled with him and caught a sandbag and threw it on the ground. After a struggle he overpowered him. Detective r inlay meanwhile held the other man at revolver point and' then when Murphy had been' overpowered handcuffed him. The detectives found two i sandbags on the ground. Each man had a glove on a hand and one had a torch. Detective Finlay said that nearly two years ago a Chinese in :the same house was brutajly assaulted at ' four o’clock in the morning and the assailants were never traced. The prosecutor said that both men were dangerous criminals. The Magistrate sentenced both to the maximum penalty of twelve months’ hard labour and Murphy to an extra three months for resisting Detective-Sergeant McHugh.;