ARMED MAN IN BANK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19169, 7 November 1925, Page 10

ARMED MAN IN BANK.

SENSATION IN NEWMARKET. MANAGER SHOWS FIGHT. ROUT OF HIS ASSAILANT. SHOT FIRED IN THE STREET. MAN CAUGHT AFTER A STRUGGLE Broadway, Newmarket, was the scene of a sensational incident last evening when a masked, armed man, attempted to hold up the manager of the Newmarket branch of the Auckland Savings Bank at closing time. The manager, however, turned on his assailant, who had bailed, him up in the doorway of the bank premises. The would-be bandit, on the first, sign of opposition, at once fled into the. street closely pursued by the manager, Mr. R. Gilmour. When he had gone about thirty yards he suddenly turned and pointing the revolver over his shoulder fired a shot which fortunately struck the footpath some distance away. Meanwhile several taxi-drivers from the adjacent stand took up the chase and helped Mr. Gilmour to overpower the man, who struggled violently and retained a grip ,»f the weapon for several minis'er. The man had apparently made himself acquainted with the routine of the bank, which on Friday evenings is open from seven to nine o'clock to depositors only, and is in the sole charge of Mr. Gilmour, who resides on the premises. Waiting until the last of the depositors had left, close upon nine o'clock, shortly before tho closing hour, the man installed himself behind one of the double doors of the outer porch. Handkerchief as Mask. On the approach of Mr. Gilmour, who was about to close the doors for the night, the man covered the lower part of his face with a black handkerchief and thus disguised himself. When Mr. Gilmour became aware of his presence the man stepped forward and without a word being spoken levelled his revolver at the manager. Instead of throwing his hands up as was apparently looked for .Mr. Gilmour rushed the intruder, who immediately turned, and with Mr. Gilmotir's hands upon him, rushed into the street and made along the footpath in the direction of Parnell. When abreast of Mr. E. Schofield's garage the shot fired by the fugitive drew the taxi men to the scene and during the ensuing struggle a large crowd assembled. The exciting incident did not end there, for the man, now on the ground, fought desperately to retain his weapon. One of the taxi-drivers endeavoured to relax the determined grip by beating the man's wrist with a length of iron, while another attempted to force the hand open with the hee! of his boot. Mr. Schofield from the garage and Mr. A. S. Henry, of the nearby battery supply station, were among the first to come to Mr. Gilmour's assistance and finally, with the others, succeeded in overpowering the man. All this time the revolver was a decided menace to the gathering crowd, and those engaged in the struggle always had before them the possibility of a second shot finding a victim. The revolver was finally wrosted from the captive's bloodstained lurid, and the now powerless man was handed over to Constable Whyte, of the Newmarket police, who promptly handcuffed him. Handbag and Gloves. When unmasked it was discovered that the prisoner was George Joseph Marshall, aged 60 years, who, it is understood, was at one time engaged in a minor capacity in one of the bank's establishments. A search revealed a leather handbag abandoned in tho bank porch, and nearby a bluck sateen bag and a pair of gloves. The man's pockets were full of short lengths of string. He was of slight stature, which made his struggle against several powerful men appear all the more remarkable. Although he gave his age as 60 years he appeared much younger, and a heavy black moustache added, to that effect. It was stated that Marshall had been about Broadway all the evening and had tea in a Newmarket restaurant. Marshall was later lodged in the city police cells, and will appear before a magistrate this morning.