WILD MIDNIGHT RIDE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 346, 18 August 1930, Page 11

WILD MIDNIGHT RIDE

PURSUED BY FLYING SQUAD SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR ACTRESS’ HUSBANDS ADVENTURE In the small hours of a June morning Mr Philip Darham, the husband of Miss Norah Blaney, the revue and music-hall artist, played an involuntary part in a flying squad rama on the main London-Brighton road. He was motoring from Brighton to London when his car broke down at Crawley, and he sought a lift. Then he found himself in a car that flew along at 80 niles an hour, with the flying police iqiiad in pursuit. Finally. Mr Durham found himself back in Patcham, and was taken into the police-station, where he spent an hour in the charge-room while his explanations were tested. The men woo gave him a lift were arrested and escorted to London.

“I had been down to Brighton for the day,” related Mr Durham, “and left there about midnight, driving my own car back. At Crawley my lights failed and the car refused to move further. No garage was open, and I could get no answer at a local hotel. The advice of a sympathetic policeman was, ‘Go to sleep in your car until the garage opens in the morning.’ After an hour and a-half I awoke feeling frozen. To keep wa.r.i I walked about and had some more talk with my policeman friend. I told him ‘I shall ston the first car that comes along and go either to London or back to Brighton.’ Given a Lift to Brighton. “While we were talking the policeman’s relief came up. Then a ear approached. I put up my hand and the two constables stood in the middle of the road. The car stopped and one of the policemen said, ‘Here’s a gentleman here who has broken down. Will you give him a lift to Brighton? The driver, a young man, replied, ‘Certainly, we shall be only too pleased.’ It was a red saloon car. A man sat beside the driver and two older men sat inside.

“I got in with them. Just as we were starting, one of the constables said; ‘You have had a bit of a smash, haven’t you?’ pointing to a big dent in the front wing and a broken run-ning-board. ‘ls this your car?’ The driver replied, ‘No, it belongs to my employer. He is "a doctor at Kingston and I »m his chauffeur. The constable

then asked the driver for his license. The driver remarked: ‘lt ha- o n r-'l. but I have applied for a new one by post ’ At this the cuii.-r ‘Well, you had better repoit with your license here . t 12 o’clock to-day.’ Then we drove on. My two companions uttered no word to me, but kept whispering to each other. “The car went faster and faster, rocked from side to side, and whipped round a corner on two wheels. Soon I saw the reason. We were bein- chased by two members of the fbing squad o-i motor-bicycles. Every second I thought the car would crash, but I could do nothing—only hope for the best. “We got from Crawley to Pateham —lB miles—in 16 minutes. There the car pulled up, and very grateful I felt that it did. There was a barrier of policemen stretched across the road holding hands. The car turned about three circles to stnn. I th r f were taken into the police-statioi. ) Sequel at Police Court “By communicating with Crawley the station officer satisfied himself that the account I gave of myself was true. I and I was allowed to drive the car, which the police told me had been stolen, into Brighton, with a superintendent and an inspector. Its former occupants wore taken rwav in a police van.”

Mr Durham’s thrilling experience had a sequel when two men. i >, - linson, aged 24, a motor mechanic, and John Vincent Schultz, aged IS, par-quet-floor Javer, were charged at Acton with being concerned together =n breaking into n garage at Chiswick, and stealing and receiving a motor-ear and petrol valued at £270, the property of Mrs Aletta Saunders.

Detective-Inspector Dolan stated that he went to Brighton aud found the prisoners detained. When told the charge. Tomlinson said. “What do vou mean—breaking in’ We found 'the door open. We thought it was a fine chance. We wanted a motor to take us to Brigiiton. We eanie down to look for work.” Schultz said nothing. On the way to London Tnnibn.nn said, ‘‘l suppose this will go hard for me.” Ho added that he “flogged” rhe spare wheel for petrol, and said, “I would give something to undo this lot. I discharged myself from hospital. I wish now I hadn’t.”

Tomlinson, when charged, replied that he admitted everything except the petrol, but Schultz made no statement. The men were remapded.