PISTOL DUEL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17916, 21 October 1932, Page 10

PISTOL DUEL

POLICE AND GUNMEfr

ROBBERY PREVENTED

fyY.DNEY, Sept. 2",

Shopbreakers and a police party last night fought a running pistol duel at Alexandria, after an,attempt had been made- to,, rob ,a workshop , in the vicinity, but .owing to the darkness all the shots went, wide. ,v„ ■•) Constables P, (T. ,11. Martin, and P. Penfold,were patrolling Bourko road, Alexandria,,about S.4f) pan., when John Pearson, foreman at the factory of the New South Wales Feß.,and Textile Company’s works, told them that he had found the door of the building open. , • i. . ,

“I noticed three suspicious-looking men loitering in the < vicinity,” he added, and the constables accompanied him on a search.

Pearson saw throe men crouching behind some .scrub not far from, the factory. “Como quickly! I-lere they are!” he,cried. . With their revolvers ready, Martin and Pearson rushed to the spot as the trio dashed away. The men ran towards a fence, but the police party drew closer.

Suddenly one of the, l’ugltivos stopped, turned, levelled a pisfol at Constable Martin and fired, at , a distance of a few yards. Martin ducked, and heard the bullet whistle fiver his head. ■ • , -•-

"Stop or I’ll Are!” cried■> Pearson, who raised his revolver and fired. The gunman turned and fled. He clambered over the fence,| raced across? ,a paddock, mounted another fence, and fired at Pearson, who was then,climbing over the first harrier., This shot, 100, went wide; ,ami a, fourth, I)red after the escaping men, also missed its mark.

A .thorough , search of the district failed, and detectives arc now searching for the,mop. "The bullet that nearly got me was too close to he pleasant!” Constable Martin said lately