WHARF SENSATION

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5880, 7 April 1920, Page 3

WHARF SENSATION

NIGHT WATCHMAN ATTACKED

REVOLVER FIRED IN DEFENCE

ESCAPE OF ASSAILANTS,

(Special to tbo Daily Telegraph.) AUCKLAND, this d«y Revolver shots were fired in the curse of a fracas hn the wharf on Monlay night, when it is alleged that a

was set upon by two • prowlers. The matter was brought to the notice qf the police shortly after ,'oight o’clock, when he victim of the assault, Aindrew Jas. Dreaver, a returned soli or, employed as a nightwatchman by the Farmers’ Freezing Company, telephoned a complaint to the subinspector, who in turn apprised the wharf police. Dreaver’s story is ‘that he went on [duty at 'Sour o’clock, and just after eight, while in the course of his routnds, he met two men in the alleyway be-

tween the freezing works and the cheese store. He asked them what they were doing, and one replied, 1 ‘Nothing. ’ Thereupon the Watchman informed them that he was in charge of the building, and advised them to clear out. ’Whether exception was taken to the manner of the delivery of the edict or not is not know!a, but it is alleged that the immediate reply or one of the men was to send a smashing Woav to Dreaver’s head, 1 Which knocked him doiw'n. The men 1 then ran away, and as they fled the pros- . irate watchman called out that if they ( did no stop he would shoot. The men }

ignored the threat, and continu,ed their flight in the direction of Craig’s wharf. Good as his word, the watchman fired a couple of shots, but the fugitives disappeared behind some bricks and got clear away just as a greaser named Robert Crowley, attracted by the firing, appeared on the scene. Crowley declares that he 'heard the shots fired, and as he arrive at the sffot he saw the two racd running away. When Constables Brady and Nesbitt appeared on the scene » further search fbr the assailants was fruitless.