DESPERATE FIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21292, 20 September 1932, Page 6

DESPERATE FIGHT

SAFEBREAKER DISTURBED f j THEATRE MANAGER'S ORDEAL® CONSTABLE MAKES AN ARREST j A desperate fighfc between the manager of the Acme Picture Show at Rockdale, ~<"H Sydney, Mr. Frank Edson, and a safe- i§| breaker took place in the office and vesti- J§| bale of the theatre on the morning of || Sunday, September 11. j Although bleeding copiously from a *: wound inflicted by a blow from an iron bar, Mr. Edson continued to wage the fj fight until the thief, becoming alarmed at Mr. Edson'a cries for help, decamped through the back of the theatre. A man was arrested, however, shortly afterwards by Constable Wilkinson, after an exciting chase through the streets of Rockdale. Nothing was stolen from tha safe. _ ;'M Mr. Edson, who is 55 jtears of age, and lives at Kogarab, went to the theatre on the Sunday morning to do some office;, | work. When he opened the office door he was amazed to find a young man trying to open the safe. Taken by surprise, the -|| safebreaker immediately attacked Mr. . Edson with an iron bar, striking him on the head with it. Flight of the Intruder ; . r :; Mr. Edson closed with the thief, aud then followed a desperate struggle, each pummelling the other with their fists. The safebreaker threw his adversary on to the floor, but Mr. Edson, although suffering from loss of blood, managed to throw the man into the passage of the vestibule. The safebreaker retaliated by trying to throttle Mr. Edson. Considerably weakened by the blow from the iron bar, and the strain of the .] struggle, Mr. Edson called out " police." He kicked th# man off him, and hii assailant, evidently fearing that Mr. Edson's cries for help would attention, escaped through the back of the theatre. Constable Wilkinson, who wag on traffic duty in the vicinity, rushed to the theatre. He jumped over an iron grille barring the entrance, and found Mr. Edson covered with blood and almost exhausted. Mr. Edson explained what had happened and the constable, after calling upon a man to telephone the ambulance, hurried off in search of the culprit. Constable Makes an Arrest The constable saw a man who was running away and setting out in pursuit slowly gained on him. After running about a mile he saw a man enter a swamp and emerge with his coat off. The constable made a detour to cut 06 the man's escape. The suspect appeared quite calm. Constable Wilkinson arrested him. With the constable he went quietly to the police station. There he was charged with breaking and and assault. Meanwhile ambulance men had rendered Mr. Edson first aid, and conveyed him to a hospital. He was treated for a lacerated wound over the left eye, necessitating five stitches, and shock. He was able later to go home. An examination of the safe, which held a considerable amount of money, showed that a portion of the lock had been sawn off.