SHOT IN A BANK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21480, 2 May 1933, Page 15

SHOT IN A BANK

PEPPER BANDIT'S FATE DEATH FOLLOWS ROBBERY I OFFICIAL USES HIS PISTOL [from our own correspondent] • •? SYDNEY, April 27 The scene associated with the killing of the Melbourne bank bandit who threw pepper in tho eyes of a teller last- Saturday morning when business vas at its height was one of the most 'dramatic in the history .of Australian crime. It is evident that the robbery was carefully planned, for there ■were no clients in the bank when the handit entered, but the bank had taken & great deal of money from the many fcniall shopkeepers in the vicinity. It V-as at first thought that all the money patched from the counter had been recovered, but it has since been discovered that £4O is still missing. This, it is believed, was handed by the mounded man to an accomplice who •p-as'on watch outside the bank. ' Tie scene of the tragedy was the Carlton branch of the English, Scottish and Australian Bank. It had just fctruck 11 o'clock when a young man tntered the bank and walked to the (counter, where a teller, Mr. F. A. Frewin, was in charge. The teller was in the process of counting out a jay-roll, when the stranger suddenly levered himself up on his hands against the wire grille and threw the contents fef a bag of pepper in the eyes of the Jeller. / At the same time the stranger seized bundle of notes which had been prepared" for checking, and then made for the door. His action, however, had jbe6n seen by the ledgerkeeper, Mr. jjohn Hayes, who seized an automatic pistol and shot the man through the jehest. He died in hospital later, without revealing his identity. His name ;was subsequently traced by the initials jspiiich appeared on a sweater he wore. Woman's Plucky Effort The firing of the shot inside the fcank attracted considerable attention, Jmt a feature of the whole affair was the gallant effort of a woman, Mrs. Ethel Halloran, whose confectionery fehop is opposite the bank, to stop the pounded man when he tried to escape. ,When the man was shot he fell back, 6creaming in pain, and the notes he had in his hand were scattered over the floor. When Mrs. Halloran rushed into the bank he screamed, "Oh, God, let me out of here." At first Mrs. Halloran-thought tho man was a bank official, and endeavoured to help him on to his feet. As goon as he was up the bandit punched her, and then fought his way through others who were standing at the doorway into the street. Mrs. Halloran ran after him, realising that he was the man who should be held. It is believed that once outside the bank the stranger handed something to a second man who was waiting outside, and this may have been a-bundle of notes —the bundle now missing. The wounded man ran down a lane bt the side of the bank, with Mrs. Halloran in hot pursuit. Mrs. Halloxan called out for assistance, and was soon joined by a number of men. The bandit was unable to run fast, eo severe was his injury, and he was discovered, crumpled up, alongside a fence. He refused to say anything and even when the police and ambulance arrived he declined to give any information whatever. ' He was rushedto hospital, but he was beyond medical aid, aiid he died a few minutes after he had been admitted. In the meantime, the teller was buffering great agony as a result of the pepper that had been throwyi in his eyes. His eyes became very inflamed, but he soon recovered under treatment, and his sight will not be impaired. /

Dead Bandit's Career The dead bandit, John Dickson, aged 26, had not followed a career of crime, and those who knew him best were the most surprised that he shr»iild have been implicated in such a serious affair. For about 18 months he was caretaker and cleaner at the St. Kilda Yacht Club and his record in that connection was a satisfactory one. He has been described as a fine type of fellow, and one who would rather work at anything that came his way than take the dole. Dickson was proud, sturdy and independent of nature, and worked hard to provide for a blinded brother, whom he used to help about the city., He came from London some time ago, and it is understood that his mother, a widow, still lives there. It is said of him that when a youth he would rather starve than do anything wrong. The police are mystified over the occurrence, and are endeavouring to trace his acquaintances during recent years. They feel convinced that he must have drifted into had company.