"BAIL UP."

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 December 1901, Page 1

"BAIL UP."

A LONDON-BANK -TRAGEDY.

(London Correspondent Lyttelton Times, LONDON, Nov. 8.

Some years have elapsed since London was visited so early in November with' such a series of dense local fogs as we have head to contend -with in the Metropolis this week. In the fogs many linpleasant tilings have happened in the way of vehicular accidents. These were to be expected with the advent of King Fog. But no one, I think, would have conjectured the holding up of a London bapk as though it were in the back blocks, the murder of a manager, a life-and-death" tussle with another official, and the death of tbo assailant, Yet this is the outline of an amusing incident which occurred at a Kensington branch of the London and South Western Bank last Monday afternoon. The details are not even now altogether clear, but the main facts are: as follows:—About four o'clock, just as the bank was on the point of closing, a fairly well-dressed man, apparently between thirty and forty years of age, walked in and took up a position in front of one ■of the desks at the centre of the counter. The only people in the bank at the time were Mr Crawley, the cashier, Mr Gouchc,' and two other clerks. Mr Crawley was balancing up for the day, and his assistants were alpo. preparing to leave. The man asked for the cashier, aiid Mr Crawley responded. He and the visitor got into conversation near the door of the counter by which the bank officials passed in and out. Ere many seconds a report rang out, and the cashier was seen to fall. The visitor instantly made his way inside the counter and pointed the smoking revolver at the clerks and cried "Hands up!" Two of them pbeyed the summons, but Mr Couche at oncp closed with the murderer. JJe got hold of the hand in which the reVpivpr was clenched and tlu-ew it up to--'aj-ds the ceiling.' The man pulled the -<?gp and jtlje bullet struck Mi- Couches trig,, \eejk and inflicted a superficial wound, left ci. struggle followed. The other A despt. -ig j.q have gone to raise the clerks see. j. a t Cj Mr Couche was sinalarm. At i. < «lacjvily held his ground, gle-handed, bui. -,^4 fie had received bled although the wou ■ \" shot rang copiously. Suddeni _ The visitor out, and the stvttgglfc -v^. ■^ ouo j je . utterly fell to the floor,. and i<- OJ .^ ; ovm exhausted by his great e^ UJUJ derer was on the netirest chair. Hie

dead, shot by his own hand, but whether accidentially or because, seeing escape was hopeless, he meant to evade the gallows will never bo known. The bullet passed in at the corner of the right eye and lodged in his brain, and death was practically instantaneous, as it was in the case of Mr Crawley, who was shot in the forehead. There was a great rush for the bank when the tragedy became known, but it wax at once closed., and no one was admitted but the police and those immediately connected with the bunk. Medical aid was summoned, and it was found that Mr Couche was not dangerously injured, though he was very shaky from loss of blood, his-life-and-death-struggle, and the shock of the fearful occurrence.

The dead murderer has since been identified as Joseph Porter, an employee -of the London and South-Western Railway, who was on the eve of departure for South Africa, to fill a. billet on the Government railways. The motive for the murder could hardly have been robbery, for he had pltntuy of money in his possession. The crime, indeed, appears to be one of those murders sans motive, which have become part and parcel of our social round during the past few years. Porter did not even know his victim.