THREAT MADE TO TAXI DRIVER

Southland Times, Issue 23737, 8 February 1939, Page 13

THREAT MADE TO TAXI DRIVER

PASSENGER WITH SHOT GUN TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE LASTS AN HOUR (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH. February 1. “Drive to North Beach or I’ll blow your brains out.” A startled Christchurch, taxi driver turned round in his seat to gaze down the single barrel of a sawn-offi shot gun. That was at 10.45 yesterday morning. For the next hour the taxi driver, H. M. Keith, had one of the most sensational and terrifying experiences of its kind the city has known. Behind him was an armed man holding a gun in one hand and gripping a woman by the wrist with his other.

About 10.30 yesterday morning a man approached Keith and ask to be taken for a drive. At the comer of Armagh and Colombo streets the stranger picked up two women. One sat in the seat with the driver and the other got in the back with the stranger. , „ “Go on—make for the beach. the man ordered the driver. Once over Barbadoes street the man changed his mind and ordered to be taken to St. Albans. The car stopped there and the woman in the front got out. The man tried to persuade the woman in the back to go to North Beach. She got out and talked for a moment or two with her friend and then got back into the car. She asked to be taken to the Square. Not half a block had been covered when the man at the back snapped out, “Driver, I’ve got a sawnoff shot gun here. , Drive to North Beach or Til blow your brains out. Quickly the driver turned to look down the barrel of the sawn-off shot gun. “It was pointing right level with my eyes,” said Keith when relating his amazing experience in an interview. I did not know what to do. He had a firm grip of the woman’s right wrist while he held the shot gun with his right hand. I drove slowly on, playing for time. I made towards the beach.. I kept looking to the right and left in the hope of attracting help.” “Do not look to the right, or left. I can see you in the rear vision mirror. You keep going or I’ll blow your head off,” the man said in a menacing tone. EFFORT TO ESCAPE i The taxi driver, [realizing that he was at the mercy of a desperate man. was scheming a plan of escape for the woman and himself. “What are you going to do when you get to the beach?” the taxi driver asked casually. . . „ “I am going to commit suicide, came the astounding reply. “I cannot leave a lady here with you and that gun,” Keith said. “You give me the gun and I will let the lady out.” . “No,’’.said the man defiantly. lam going to have a yarn with my wife first.” It was a tense moment. Keith kept on with his quiet persuasive methods. Shrewdly the taxi driver suggested that the man should unload the gun. After a time he agreed, withdrew the cartridge and handed it over. “You might have some more cartridges in your pocket,” said Keith. The man grinned and produced some in his hand. Still the situation was desperately delicate, but the persuasive powers of Keith still worked. In an off-hand way he suggested that the man should give him half the gun. To his amazement the stranger who was obviously under .great strain agreed.. He broke the gun' and handed the taxi driver the barrel and the tension was over. The taxi driver and the woman breathed freely for the first time. “I could not possibly leave the woman with him,” said Keith, “so I kept on arguing with him. ; Eventually after a lot more bluff on my part he handed over the stock of the gun and three more cartridges which he had in his pocket. He said he had bought the gun with his last £4. Then he broke down and started to cry with his head on the.woman’s lap. I suggested he should come into town and that he should see a doctor. After a time he agreed. Near Fitzgerald avenue the man demanded to get out.” The relieved Keith pulled up, calmer now. The man got out and wandered off. Then Keith drove himself and the woman to police headquarters. He handed over to detectives a singlebarrel shot-gun and four cartridges. The detectives were out on the iob looking for the man as soon as they heard the story. It was not long before the stranger was arrested, and charged with having in his possession a shot-gun with felonious intent. He went quietly. This morning in the Magistrate’s Court this sensational incident was described when Alan Stuart McLachlan, aged 28, described as an electric welder, of Edgeware road, stood charged that he was deemed to be a rogue and a vagabond in that he was armed with a gun with felonious intent. McLachlan pleaded guilty and after evidence had been heard the Magistrate, Mr E. C. Lewey, granted a remand until February 13 to allow the accused to be placed under medical observation.