SHOTS AT HOUSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23565, 27 January 1940, Page 14

SHOTS AT HOUSE

ALLEGED INTIMIDATION CHARGE OF BLACKMAIL MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL [BY TELEGRAPH- —OWN CORRESPONDENT! TAIHAPE, Friday Ail insurance agent, Hoy Gayne "Walloy, aged 37, of Taihape, pleaded not guilty to charges involving intimidation, blackmail and writing a threatening letter when ho appeared to-day before justices of the peace in the Taihape Court. Ho was committed to the Supremo Court at Wanganui for trial on February 19. Bail was refused. The charges, which arose out of the circumstances surrounding tho alleged firing of two shots at a house occupied by Mr. W. G. Hagan at Collier's .Junction, near Taihape, were as follows: — That accused, with intent, to extort money, £IOO or more, from William George Hagan, caused Hagan to receive a letter accusing him of a serious crime; that, with intent to intimidate or annoy Hagan and his wife, ho discharged a .303 rifle at night to alarm, or attempt to alarm, Hagan and his wife in their dwelling-house at Collier's Junction; and that ho caused to bo received by Roy Alexander Hagan, ol Miramar, Wellington, a letter containing threats to do grievous bodily harm to William George Hagan, father of Hoy Hagan.

Gregory Gerald Kelly, arms advisory officer, Police Department, Wellington, described the position of the bullet holes in Mr. Hagan's bedroom and pointed out that one bullet passed through the wall 7ft 1 . Sin. from tho lloor and directly above the head of tho bed. The other shot entered the wall ]oin. below the gable. The uppermost bullet was deflected upward and went out through the iron roof. The other bullet was recovered from a stnd in tho bedroom. He was satisfied that tho bullets wore fired from accused's .303 rifle.

Detective-Sergeant J. K. Hobertson produced a threatening letter alleged to have been written by accused to Hoy Hagan, son of W r . G. Hagan. In it the writer threatened to "shift" Hagan properly and added that one did not have to be in the front-line trenches to stop a bullet. Witness said that Walley, in a statement to tho police, said ho fired the shots to frighten Hagan and not to injure him. Walley's statement made it clear lie had a grievance against Hagan, whom he accused of a serious crime, which Hagan denied.