AUSTRALIAN CRIME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 430, 22 November 1930, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN CRIME

BANK ROBBERY FAILS TELLER SHOT POINT BLANK WOUNDED MAN KILLS BANDIT POLICE IN EXITING CHASE [By Telegraph—Press Aseociation—Copyright.] Received Nov. 21, 8.30 p.m. SYDNEY, Nov. 21. A sensational shooting affray culminating in the death of a would-be bank robber occurred at the Alexandria branch of the English, Scottish and Australian Bank just before midday. Henry Hodgkinson, bank teller, was also *sh >t in the face and is in a serious condition.

Hodgkinson, aged 24, was olonc m the bank when a man entered and asked to be directed to a certain street. Simultaneously a telephone bell rang. Hodgkinson turned round to answer it, when a second man entered the bank and covered him with a revolver.

Hodgkinson dived his hand into a pocket for his revolver, when he was shot point blank, the bullet entering his chin. Undaunted he smartly drew his own revolver and fired on his adversary as he was rushing out of the bank. The bullet apparently found its mark, as the victim, shot through the head, was later found dead in a taxicab, wherein he and two confederates had escaped.

There were several eye-witnesses to the hold-up. and the men's escape from the bank. Three are believed to be concerned, including the man who asked about the street. They rushed to a waiting taxicab, one bleeding profusely from a head wound. His confederates had to help him into the vehicle. Police and detectives, with surprising celerity, were in hot pursuit and traced the taxicab to the suburb of Maroubra, where they headed it off and com manded the driver to surrender, which he did. The driver was arrested and the dead gunman was found on the bach seat. His two companions were missing

Later details reveal that the wouldbe robber’s body was not found in the taxi-cab. It was, in fact, hurled from the taxi-cab during the police pursuitThe two confederates left the taxi in the suburb of Maroubra, scaled sonic fences and eluded capture, despite the fact that the police were near enough to shoot them. Their revolvers failed to a<-t.

The taxi-cab driver informed the police that he was quite ignorant of the attempt to hold up the bank. The Hire 1 men engaged him without disclosing their mission. He heard shots at the bank, and the three men*rushed into his cab ami told him to drive like “Hell.” When sonic distance away he heard a voice inside the cab say: “He is dead. We had better dump him,” apparently referring to their shot companion. The body was thrown into a lane in South Randwick. Later, when the driver saw the police overtaking him, he stopped the car, making the excuse to the men inside that his petrol was exhausted.

The police arc trying to establish identification of the dead man, who is aged about 25.

As the “Chronicle” went to press a message was received stating that the victim of the bank shooting affray was Edward Coghlan, aged 28, a native of Ireland. He was a Yellow Taxi-cab driver, ami resided at Forest Lodge. The bullet severed the jugular vein. Hodgkinson is reported to be making a good recovery.