TAKAPUNA SHOOTING SENSATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 7

TAKAPUNA SHOOTING SENSATION.

CONDITION OF THE VICTIMS. ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT. , CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER. ' (By Tolegra.ph.—Pre&s Association.) Auckland, March 14. Tho condition of Skcatcs, wlul was severely injured in the shooting affray yesterday, shows somo slight improvement. All tho bullets have been located by X IJays, and an operation will bo performed to-morrow morning to extract the ■, bullet in tho head. Hanna is progressing very well. Tho revolver used in conncction with tho affray was found by tho roadside near tho sccno of tho .shooting. : Crago, who is alleged to have committed tho shooting, was brought boforo the Court to-day and charged with, attempted . murdor, and remanded till Thursday. No application was made for bail. THE'ACCUSED. A FANCY FOR A MOTOB-CAE. : , (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent,) Auckland, March H. Tho youth Crago, arrested in- connection with tho Takapuna shooting case, is only 18 yoars of ago, and has been living with his parents at Takapuna on the hill above the lalce. His parents are in comfortable circumstances. i ■ ' _ In July last year ho wrote two threatening letters to Mr. J. Craig demanding tho 6um of JSO. One of tho letters was surmounted by an artistically-drawn black hand, and beneath' this tho writer intimated that ho was a member of a Black , Hand gang, and thafo if tho money demanded was not forthcoming, Mr. Craig's ships would bo wrecked, things would happen to his family, and even ho himself might .bo subject to mysterious disappearance. Tho only result of tho letter was that the polico located young Crago as tho writer, and lie was sent to tho Supreme Court on a charge of demanding ■ money with menaces. At tho August session of tho court lie was put on probation,, and bound over to keep tho peace for tu'clvo months. Ho was taken on by his previous employer, a boat-builder fit Devonport, and continued his 1 work in tho ordinary war. His employer speaks of him ns a well-" hebaved and exceptionally intelligent youth, with no indication of abnormality in his manner. Lately he has evidently been seized with a desire a possess si, motor-car, and has been in correspondence ' with moi'Q than one firm of motor-car dealers. He has approached firms by letter, and in consequence of correspondence with him a representative of "Messrs.- Dexter and Crozier visited his homo the other day to see him tin the matter. Crago was not at lioino, and the representative* went to Devonport. and saw him at'his work. Subsequently tho agent dropped the matter . -