INSANE MAN WITH GUN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 8

INSANE MAN WITH GUN.

EXCITEMENT AT MAKOTUKU MANY RESIDENTS HELD UP, WILD SCATTER FOR SHELTER. MOTORISTS' PRESENCE OF MIND. [by TELEGRAPH. —OWN correspondent.] DANNEVIRKE, Wednesday. To bo asked to go to the scene of & supposed accident and be greeted by & man with a gun was the startling experience of Mr. W. V. Holworthy, a resi. dent of Dannevirke, who was visiting Makotuku on Tuesday. That township is all agog with excitement over thg doings of a resident whose mind suddenly became affected, but Mr. Holworthy was unaware of this at the time. The man is stated to have gone about the township holding up residents, examining the papers in their possession, and then allow, ing them to depart.

Mr. Holworthy had a different experience. "On bringing my car to a standstill at the scene of tha supposed accident," ho said, " I saw a man approaching mo not more than a hundred yards away with a gun in each hand. I had no time to get out and run away. If yoti are to be shot a car is just as good a placet as anywhere else. So I stayed where I was. Ho came beside mo still with n, rifle in each hand and pointed one at me, saying: 'Who are you;' I was a bit stuck for words for a few seconds, which annoyed him. He put one rifle down and brought the other to his shoulder, saying: 'Quick. Out with it. Who are vou?' Offered Him Flax Shares,

" I looked down that blue barrel six inches from my face. I never took my eyes off that man. My business is selling flax shares, so I offered him some. That seemed to satisfy him, for ho lowered the rifle, admired my dog Johnnie, who rides on the running board, went over to a gate and took a bead on the men in a paddock, at the same time giving a jell.

"Tho men scattered like rabbits and made for the shelter of some trees. The man was yelling all the time. Everywhere you looked men were either appearing or disappearing from behind trees. Having put everybody out of sight the fellow came back and said: 'I want you to take me to—oh, never mind. I'll take my own car." He went off into his house, came out and brought his car on to tho road and remained sitting in it. I started up and went slowly past him toward the hotel and was very glad to got the building between him and me. " I found that the police had already been communicated with, so there was nothing more to be done."

Capture Alter a Struggle. Constables Gibbs and Canning were despatched to Dannevirke by car to intercept tho man, who was niaking south in his own car. When tho constables reached the deviation near Matamaku they placed themselves in such a position as to be enabled to intercept their quarry. They had just pulled up their car when ho came upon them and it is said attempted to point a rifle at Constable Canning. The constable gripped the rifle by tho barrel and Constable Gibbs wrenched the weapon away from tho powerfully-built young fellow.

Mr. W. Sharploy, who was also en th® scene, took possession of tho rifle and the constables got the man out of the car. Their captive fought violently and had to have his legs roped. Shortly iftos* wards Constable Murphy, with Constable Smith (of Auckland), arrived on th« ■ scene and tho unfortunate individual was handcuffed and brought to Dannevirke , and lodged in a padded coll. Tho rifla was loaded with one cartridge and there were four other cartridges in his possession. Ho had also m the car a pea rifle which was not loaded. Ho was subsequently medically examined and loft to-day for a mental hospital.

STRUGGLE WITH MAW AC,

BLENHEIM STREET FRACAS«

SPECTATORS WATCH CAPTURE.

[BY TSXEORAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, Wednesday.

An extraordinary fracas was witnessed in Ix>wer High Street last night, when a crowd of about 30 men stood stupidly by and watched Mr. B. Hester engaged for more than ten minutes in a strenuous struggle with a dangerous maniac,, no otwj offering to go to his assistance.

Fortunately Mr. Hester, who has more than a little knowledge of the science of wrestling, was able to hold the mam until tho arrival of a constable; but onca he relinquished the hold he had imposed on his opponent, the maniac took a new lease of life, and the constable had a hard task in getting the handcuffs on him, having to call on two bystanders for assistance.

At the police station the man again made a big ntrugglo before being: placed in a cell. The senior-sergeant to the Bench this morning that the man was still too violent to appear, and a remand for eight days was granted, tb* man to be placed under medical attention. Subsequently it t*a« certified that he wi insane, and he. was then removed to * mental hospital.

The man w»i a visitor to Blenheim