BATTLE IN BALLROOM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21161, 19 April 1932, Page 9

BATTLE IN BALLROOM.

NIGHT CLUB SENSATION. BRITISH GOLFER WOUNDED. BANDIT LEADER KILLED. One of Britain's most famous amateur golfers, Mr. T. P. Perkins, was shot by a bandit at Miami, Florida, early one morning a few weeks ago. The bullet was subsequently extracted, and his condition was not critical. Mr. Perkins was one of the victims of an amazing hold-up by armed and masked bandits in a fashionable night club, and was used as a human shield by the raiders when the police opened fire. Nothing in Florida's social life compares with the scene that followed the entry of the bandits into the ballroom, where scores of couples were dancing. Mr. Penins, who had readied the final of the Dixie championship only the previous day, was shot in the hip. The gang attempted a hold-up in the Embassy Club, one of the most fashionable night clubs at Miami. One bandit was killed, three were wounded, one critically near the heart, as well as two club employees, in the wild scenes which took place. Two policemen in plain clothes were eating in the kitchen when six bandits, some masked with handkerchiefs, and others with silk stockings, entered and threatened them with pistols and sawedoff shotguns. The leader then lined them up against a wall, together with the kitchen staff.

Two Policemen Open Fire. With tiieir hands above their heads, the whole group was marched into the ballroom, where many society leaders were sitting or dancing. The leader and two of the band proceeded across the ballroom floor with their guns held ready, while the remaining three, continuing to keep the employees lined up, tried to shut and bar the large double doors between the kitchen and ballroom. With the attention of their guards occupied for a moment, the two police officers, Oakford and Davis, drew their pistols in a flash. Oakford emptied his revolver at the bandit leader, apparently hitting his sawed-off shotgun in such a way as to discharge its magazine. The leader dropped dead His companions had preceded him into the gambling-room casino, where many guests had hastily scurried, for cover.

The remaining bandits in the ballroom attempted to shoot Oakford and Davis, who were hastily reloading their revolvers. At the same moment the bandits in the casino, becoming aware that something had gone wrong with their plans in the ballroom, turned and fired back into it. Apparently deciding that the game was up, the bandits in the casino started to leave the premises by means of the ballroom. One of them, a particularly powerful individual, seized Mr. Perkins as a shield, while the other sprayed bullets across the ballroom., wounding an employee of the club. How Mr. Peikins was Hit. I Mr. Perkins was hit by a stray bullet | and fell to the floor. Both bandits i thereupon dropped, themselves critically j wounded by fire from the courageous | policemen. When the police examined the body of the dead leader they found lie had a wooden arm. His clothing revealed no clue except a Chicago tailor's label. The wounded robbers gave their names, and referred to the dead man as "Wingle." Interviewed in his hospital bed, Mr. Perkins gave his own personal description of the exciting experience which prevented him from playing in the final round of the Dixie championship. "The bandits," he said, "resembled a bunch of flustered 'Palookas.' It was my first 'stick up,' and after my experience with gangsters in New York I knew that the best thing to do was just what they told me.

"One of the bandits singled ine out, and getting behind, ordered me to walk in front of him toward the door. I walked calmly as I was bidden, but, the fellow must have been nervous, for he shot me from behind and I fell." The Embassy Club's casino, where the shooting took place, is patronised by wealthy guests, who generally have large sums of cash about them, and this was undoubtedly the magnet which drew the bandits to the spot. Mr. Perkins' Golf Record. Mr. Perkins won the English amateur championship at the first time of asking in 1927, and in the same year tied for first amateur place with Mr. W. B. Torrance in the open championship, returning a better score than Archie Compston, J. Barnes, and several other ,eniinent professionals. In 1928 Mr. Perkins won the British amateur championship, defeating Mr. Roger Wethered in the final by 6 and 4, and was again the leading amateur in the open championship. Mr. Perkins played for England versus Scotland in 1927, 1928 and 1929. and for Britain against America in the Walker Cup in 1928. He secured a, position in a New York brokerage house, and recently became a naturalised American citizen.

In his first attempt to wrest the American amateur championship from Bobby Jones, Air. Perkins suffered a heavy defeat .'it the hands of the American wizard in the final bv 10 anil 9.