MORE SHOTS EXCHANGED

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21549, 11 October 1941, Page 6

MORE SHOTS EXCHANGED

WANTED MAN SEEN IN TOWNSHIP ATTEMPT TO ENTER CATHOLIC CHURCH WOUNDED CONSTABLE’S CONDITION SERIOUS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HOKITIKA, Saturday The latest report states that the wanted man, Stanley Graham, was seen in the vicinity of the Koiterangi Hall during the night. A number of shots were exchanged and he then disappeared. About 5 o’clock this morning Graham was seen at the front door of the Kokatahi Hotel, across the river from Koiterangi, in the main township. Shots were exchanged, Graham firing once and others several times without apparent result.

Graham attempted to enter the Catholic Church and then made away into low scrub in the vicinity and has not been seen since.

With the death in the Westland Hospital yesterday afternoon of Mr Gregory Hutchison, of Kanieri, sawmill worker, who was a married man of 28 with two children, the victims of the shooting number five killed and two wounded. Those killed were Sergeant William Cooper, Constable F. W. Jordan and Constable P. C. Tulloch, who were shot on Wednesday afternoon; Mr R. J. M‘. Coulson and Mr Hutchison, home guardsmen who were shot oil Thursday night. The wounded are Mr C. R. Ridley and Constable E. M. Best, who were shot on Wednesday afternoon. The condition of Constable Best is very serious.

Graham has two rifles, an automatic pistol, and a supply of ammunition which may possibly be 1000 rounds. He has the whole district in a state of terror. Nearly two hundred armed men are now on the scene.

RUSH FOR HOUSE

FATE OF HOMEGUARDSMEN THIRD MAN RETURNS FIRE HOKITIKA, Friday Before the shooting last night which resulted in the deaths of the two home guardsmen, Messrs R. J. M. Coulson and G. Hutchison, members of the Home Guard in the Koiterangi Hall, on the opposite side of the road from the house, heard shots and two bullets struck the side of the hall. Mr Coulson and Mr R. V. Frederic had taken positions in the doorway of the hall and had a narrow escape when a shot passed through the wall near the doorway. After about 20 minutes Mr Coulson expressed his intention of making for the house and called, for volunteers. Mr A. H. King volunteered and they prepared to make a dash for it. Other guardsmen took up positions with rifles at the ready, and Mr Coulson and Mr King rushed for a motor-car standing on the road between the hall and Graham’s house. Five minutes later flashes from a rifle were seen by the guardsmen at the hall, apparently coming right-hand corner of the house. Mr Frederic, another guardsman at the hall fired at this flash. “He Has Got Me”

When the first shot was heard the watchers at the hall heard Mr Coulson call out: “He has got me.” Nothing further was heard for 20 minutes. Then there was more shooting from the direction of Graham’s house, continuing at intervals for half an hour.

Police officers and guardsmen approached the house covered by the rifles of companions. The lights of a car were switched on and it was learned that Mr Coulson was dead and Mr Hutchison wounded. In their dash Mr Coulson and Mr King had almost reached Graham’s house when there was a shot from the right-hand corner of the house only a few yards away and Mr Coulson fell. Mr King dived for the front doorway and crawled into the lefthand front room. From there he saw the form of a man and, taking careful aim in the darkness, fired. The figure then disappeared round the side of the house before Mr King could get in more shots. Mr Coulson managed to crawl into the house, but died before attention could be given. Grim Reply to Challenge

Mr Hutchison was shot in the hip in the earliest stage of the battle. He had been placed to cover the front door and passage. He saw a figure pass the house and challenged with a pre-arranged password. The reply was a bullet, apparently fired from the front of the house down the pas-sage-way. The fugitive, who had the cover of the darkness, continued firing at intervals until the arrival of the relief party from the post office. It is believed possible that Mr King’s shot from the front room window may have wounded Graham. Visibility was nil, but the range was extremely short. Two rifles previously believed to be in the possession of Graham were later found outside the house. However, he has still two rifles. AUTOMATIC RIFLE SECRET OF RAPID SHOOTING (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday Only about a month ago, when the delusion that his neighbours were poisoning his cattle and that there was a conspiracy against him was already gripping his mind, Stanley ley Graham visited Christchurch and obtained from the Arms Office at the Central Police Station a permit to buy an automatic rifle. This is said to be only one of Graham's weapons that is registered with the police.

“ It is the automatic rifle,” said the police arms expert today, "that enables Graham to shoot so rapidly, firing from the hip. To loose one k bullet after another from the hip would be impossible with the ordinary type of repeating rifle.'’

ARMY HELP OFFERED

BOMBER FLIES OVER SCENE PEOPLE LIVE IN TERROR HOKITIKA, Friday | As a safety measure all the women and children of the Koiterangi district were evacuated to Kokatani and Hokitika today. Mrs Graham, who was present when the constables were shot, is stated to have taken risks in endeavouring to prevent the tragedy. She is now residing in Hokitika. A bomber aeroplane arrived today. Under the authority of Colonel K. J. Walker and Brigadier O. H. Mead, Christchurch, Captain A. R. Curtis, sub-area officer, Greymouth, offered the assistance of the Army in bringing about the apprehension of the wanted man. With police officers ariving from various parts of the Dominion and new batches of volunteers conveyed to Koiterangi, the coverage of the district was reorganised today. About a score of police from the North Island, Canterbury, Buller and Grey districts arrived, including the Commissioner, Mr D. J. Cummings, and Inspector Carroll, there being now 27 members of the force engaged at the scene. Just before sunset a bomber aeroplane from Nelson, fully armed, flew low over the scene in Koiterangi, but returned to Hokitika without dropping a missile. Volunteers at the time had entered the bush on their own account, and later were warned by Inspector Calwell that they must obey orders or depart. Forced “Confession” It is revealed that Graham, after he had wounded Constable Best on Wednesday and when the other three police officers were lying dead, shot Best again and then dictated a “confession” to Best and made him sign it. The confession said that Best and the other police had come out “to murder Graham.” Best, gravely wounded, signed the “confession” to keep Graham quiet, and Grahanf then went into the bush, leaving Best lying across the dead Constables Jordan and Tulloch. One ruse tried early this afternoon was to move Graham’s cattle, on the theory that as he was extremely proud of them he might resent any attempt at interference and come out. Rifles were kept trained on the bush, but he did not come out. On Wednesday afternoon the police were not all sentf out armed. Sergeant Cooper was carrying an automatic pistol, Y»ut never had a chance to use it, and Graham took it out of his pocket and still has it. Lewis Guns Arrive Bren and Tommy guns were sent out early this morning, but to the consternation of the residents they were sent back again. Later Lewis guns came out. It is suggested that a tank might be used and arrangements were discussed to send a bulldozer through the bush with a big screen out in front. Two local men volunteered to drive it. The people fear there may be more killings. They are tiring of nights of terror, with shots in the darkness.

Tonight the most elaborate precautions were taken. All cars were cleared from the road, Home Guardsmen were given their tasks and the police put at their stations. Every bit of cover near Graham’s home has been cut down by workers in case he comes back tonighc. Mount Camel back, where Graham is now thought to oe, is so big and so thickly bushed that an effective search is almost impossible

NO NIGHT SEARCH MADE

HOKITIKA, Friday

The Commissioner of Police, Mr D. J. Cummings, who arrived at dusk, said: “I do not know whether we will do any bombing. I will have a look tomorrow at the bush homestead.”

There would not be any repercussion from the conduct of certain Home Guardsmen, Mr Cummings