HOTEL SENSATION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16949, 13 May 1929, Page 11

HOTEL SENSATION

LUNATIC WITH KEVOLVER SUCCESSFUL POLICE RUSE (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. There was a sensation at Cargen Hotel on Sunday morning, when a man aged 33 years, dressed in the full uniform of an army lieutenant, and wearing many service decorations,* sat down on a chair in the corridor on the fourth iloor, holding in his hand a holster containing a Webley six-chamber service revolver, which later was found to he fully loaded. The 'licensee, Mr. Lund, cnmmunicat ed with the police at. about 6 a.m., and Sergeant Clist and two constables airived promptly. The licensee informed them that the man was dangerous and suggested that) Sergeant ( list, should not approach him. in police uniform. With the licehsees dressing gown coverinn- his regular apparel, Sergeant (-list and the licensSfc walked to where the man was still sitting on a clunr, and tried to get- him to move. Ihe man refused , ~ “Plow am 1 to get to the bathroom it you don’t move?” asked the sergeant. “You can step over me,” replied the Alter a further unsuccessful eflort- to reason with the man the sergeant stepped Over him keeping his eyes on the revolver. Suddenly the sergeant shot out one hand and grasped the weapon as the mail pulled it out of its holster, and was going to raise it. V\ itti his free hand Sergeant Clist gasped the man by the throat and threw lnm. the two constables, as prearranged, rushed in. and after a hard struggle the man was handcuffed. In court this morning the man was charged with presenting a revolver at Sergeant Clist, and with unlawfully carrying a revolver. Two doctors certified that the man was insane. He was removed to a mental hospital.