SHOOTING AFFRAY IN SYDNEY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20092, 22 November 1930, Page 15

SHOOTING AFFRAY IN SYDNEY.

bank robber killed.

teller seriously wounded. (UNITED PBEsa ASSOCIATION —BT ELICTIIC f.KGR AriI—COPYRIGHT.) (Received November 21st, 8.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 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, a teller in the bank, was also shot in the face. He is in a serious condition.

Mr Hodgkinson, whose age is 24, was alone in the bank when a man entered and asked to be directed to a certain street. Simultaneously, the telephone bell rang. Mr Hodgkinson turned round to answer it, when a second man entered the bank and covered him with a revolver. The teller dived his hand into his own pocket for a revolver, when he was shot at point-blank range, the bullet entering liis chin. Undaunted, ho smartly drew his own revolver and fired on his adversary as he was rushing out of the bank. The bullet found its mark, und the victim, shot through the head, was later found dead in the taxicnb in which he and his two confederates had escaped. There were several eye-witnesses of tbo hold-up, and of the men's escape from the bank. Three men are believed to have been concerned in it, including the man who asked about the street. They rushed- to a waiting taxi-cab, one bleeding profusely from a head wound. His confederates had to help him into the vehicle. I'olicemen and deLectives, with surprising' celerity, started in hot pursuit. They traced the taxi-cab to the Suburb of Maroubm, headed it off, and commanded the driver to surrender, which Vie did. The driver was arrested.

The dead man was found on tho back feat, but bis two companions were missing.

DEAD BODY THROWN FROM CAR.

TWO CONFEDERATES ESCAPE

(Received November Lilst, !10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 21. Later details reveal that the would-be robber's body, was not found in the taxi-cab. It was, in fact, hurled from tho taxi-cab during the police pursuit. The man's two confederates left the taxi in the suburb of Maroubra, scaled fences, and eluded Capture, despite the fact that the police were near enough to shoot at them with their revolvers. The taxi-cab driver informed tho police that he was quite ignorant of the attempt to hold up the bank. Three men engaged him without disclosing their mission. He heard shots at the bank, when three men rushed into his cab and told bim to "drive like hell." When he had driven some distance away he heard a voice inside the cab say, "He is dead. Wo had better dump him." Apparent Iv the speaker was referring to their companion. The body was thrown into a lane in fiouth Randwick.

Later, wh--n the driver saw tho police overtaking him, he stopped "the car, malting nn excuse to the men inside that his petrol was exhausted. The police are trying to establish the identity of the dead man, who is aged about. 2 r >.

DEAD MAN IDENTIFIED.

(Received November 22nd, 1 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 21. The man who was killed in the bank shooting affray has been identified as Edward Coghlan; ag'id 28, a native ot Jrolattd. Forinerlv lie was a- taxi-cab driver. "He resided • at the Forest Lodge suburb. .. : Air Horlgkinson is reported to bo making a good recovery.