SENSATIONAL HOLD-UP

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 82, 3 April 1934, Page 5

SENSATIONAL HOLD-UP

.. . . \ Motoring Party Accosted

REVOLVER ALLEGEDLY FIRED

FOUR YOUNG MEN ARRESTED

(Per Press Association). DANNEVIRKE, This Day.

A sensational hold-up of a motoring party occurred on the main road about four miles south of Dannevirke at 9 o’clock on Saturday evening, which later resulted in the arrest of three young men and a youth, residents of Te Rehunga district, a few miles from the scene of the hold-up. The names of the accused are: Ronald Herbert Floyd, labourer, aged 19 years; Stanley Jordan Madden, labourer, 17 years; Robert Floyd, 17 years, the other accused being a juvenile, aged 16 years. The party in the, car comprised Messrs. R. Ellingham, a farmer, residing, near Dannevirke, D. Russell, Public Trust Office, Dannevirke, and Wilfred John Cochrane, an employee at Reuroa. electric sub-station, all well-known local residents and prom* inent Rugby footballers. Cochrane was driving the car and, seeing a man lying stretched out on the roadside, pulled up a few yards past him, thinking that he had been hit by a passing car and left lying in the road.

Cochrane backed his car and the occupants were about to alight when the recumbant figure arose to its feet, rushed to the car, opened the door and presented a revolver, much to the surprise of the occupants, who received another thrill when another three men, bearing heavy pickets of wood appeared from the roadside and approached the car. The man who presented the revolver was wearing a woollen scarf round the lower part of his face, masking his identity.

Despite their surprise the driver of the car smartly put it into gear and* made a get-away, during which, it is alleged, a shot was fired into the back of the car without hitting anyone.

The hold-up was reported to the police, and as the result of an intensive search the alleged -participants in the hold-up were arrested some 24 hours later.

Accused appeared before Mr. W. Dobson, J.P., yesterday, charged that on March 31st., at Oringi, they did assault Wilfred John Cochrane, Robert George Russell, and Richard Ellingham with intent to rob the said persons.

Detective Farquharson, of Hastings, applied for a remand to April 10. Referring to an application for bail Detective Farquharson mentioned the likelihood of more serious charges being preferred against the accused. Bail was refused.

The three eldest accused were remanded in custody, the juvenile being remanded to the sitting of the Juvenile Court on April 10, and placed in the custody of . his parents in the meantime.