THREAT IN LETTER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 117, 16 April 1938, Page 6

THREAT IN LETTER

CASE FROM FOXTON. ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. Four double-barrelled shot-guns, one single-barrelled gun. a .303 rifle, a .22 rifle, a shortened .303 rifle, a revolver, boxes of ammunition and tools for servicing firearms were produced in the Magistrate’s Court, on Thursday, when Arthur Ernest Smith, a carpenter, aged 65, of Foxton, was charged that, on or about April 1, 1938, at Palmerston North, he sent to William Trueman, town clerk of Foxton, a letter containing a threat to do grievous bodily harm to him. Accused was represented by Mr E. T. Moody (Shannon), and Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn conducted the case for the police. Messrs J. T. Bosworth and A. J. Cruickshank, J.P.’s, presided. After evidence had been given accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Palmerston North for sentence. Bail was refused.

Evidence was given by William Trueman that accused was formerly the owner of two cottages on a section in Avenue Road. Foxton. Under the Rating Act the property had been offered for sale by the Registrar of the Supreme Court. The Foxton Borough Council bought in the property in 1935, there being eight years’ rates owing. Accused had lived in one without being debited with rent. About October 10, 1935, witness (as town clerk) received a letter from accused and on April 2, 1938, witness received a letter addressed to him, the envelope bearing the Terrace End postmark. The letter was unsigned. Mr Meiklejohn: Does it contain any threat to you ?—Yes. In common language, a threat to pot a bullet through me.

Proceeding, witness said the handwriting of the two letters agreed. Another cottage formerly owned by an estate had been bought in by the borough also, and had recently been inspected and the council decided it was not worth repairing. Thereupon it was advertised for sale for removal. As a portion of witness’s duties were the management of the Foxton picture ■ show, he was late in getting home on j several nights a week. Witness did not “feel so happy” when he received the letter containing the threat. As the result of feeling somewhat apprehensive, he communicated with the police. Witness added, at his own request, that once an account for outstanding rates was handed to the borough solicitors he had nothing further to do with it. Cross-examined, witness said he had received the impression from the police that accused had admitted sending the letter. There was no probability of the house accused resided in being pulled down. E. E. Nansett, enquiry officer employed by the Post and telegraph Department at Palmerston North, gave evidence that the letter would have been posted at the Terraco End Post Office and he detailed the course the letter would take in reaching Foxton. DETECTIVE’S EVIDENCE. Detective W. R. Fell said that on April 7, accompanied by Constable Edwards, be went to accused’s residence. Accused denied knowing anything about any anonoymous letter sent to Mr Trueman, and said he had not written any such letter. Ac-

cused read the letter of 1935 and said it was in his writing. The house was searched and in lumber room witness found a packet of envelopes of the same size and texture as that containing the anonymous letter. Also in the same room was a piece of cardboard on which were the names of the Mayor of Foxton (Mr M. E. Perreau) and Mr Trueman. Accused, when questioned, said a revolver, in working order, and in the same room had been given to him bv a Maori. Accused said lie had repaired the revolver. In a box of 42 bullets of the same bore as tho revolver were six shortened to fit the weapon. Among some gun catalogues witness found a writing pad with the outline of a bullet on it. By placing the anonymous letter in tlie pad—as it was before the sheet was torn out—the outline of a bullet oil the letter fitted exactly with the other outline. The paper in the pad and that of the letter were exactly the same. Also in the house was found a .303 rifle, shortened to make a pistol. In the house were 11 rounds of ammunition which had been “doctored,” the ends of the bullets liored out and little pieces of brass placed therein. The Bench ; Did he tell you why ho “doctored” those bullets? —No. they are commonly known as dum-dum bullets. The Bench: They are pretty deadly in that condition. Witness said there was also found a .22 rifle (apparently not registered). In a workroom there was another short gun (to be used with 12-gauge cartridges) partly made out of piping. There were also four moulds for bullets and a ‘-knuckle-duster daggertype of weapon.” Four double-bar-relled gnus and one single barrelled gun were found, and also a .303 rifle (registered in accused’s name). At the Police Station accussed said: “Yes; I wrote the letter all right. I don’t know what made me do it.”. Accused said he had had a very “rough deal” from the Foxton Borough Council. He had had two houses taken from him. Another cottage was-to he pulled down and he thought his was to be the next. Accused was very very bitter toward Mr Trueman and expressed the view that if “anyone came to his cotage they would go quicker than they had come.” Ho had written the letter in Foxton, cycled to Palmerston North and posted it at Terrace End. Witness said he thought accused had a “kink” for handling guns and knives. Accused had said lie had won a prize at the Dunedin Exhibition for three hunting knives he had made himself. Constable G. Edwards, of Foxton, corroborated Detective Fell’s evidence. Wtiness thought accused “pretty clever” at making knives and repairing arms. This closed the evidence for the prosecution. Accused pleaded guilty as stated and was committed for sentence.