Arrested 'Burgling' His Own Shop

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 5, 29 September 1937, Page 4

Arrested 'Burgling' His Own Shop

('ross AAaocin.tion. 1

TAILOR INJURED Constable Refused to Believe He Was Wrong HALF-HOUR STRDGGLE

(By Telegraph

CHRiSTCHURCH, This Day. Mr Frank Hiekinbottom, a respected and well-known resident of Christchurch, who has been 20 years .111 the tailorihg trade in this city, was cleaning out his show window at 9.15 last night. Pive minutcs later he was struggling with a large constable who was determined to arrest hihi on a cliarge of burgling his own shop* For more than half an hout Mf Hiekinbottom was in the eonstable's grasp. Acqquaintances of Mr Hiekinbottom, including membefs of the Christchurct Chess Club from the upper floor of the building, did their best to impress on the constable that he had made a mlstake. They implored him to let the innocent man alono. The constable was deaf to their appeals until a sergeant intervened. To-day Mr Hiekinbottom is badlv shaken ijy his experience. His arms and one leg are badly bruised as the resuit of the manlm .diing he received. He has skin oif his hands and a large buinp oh his head. Among Ihe people who endepvoured to reason with the zealous young policeman was Mr W. H. Joyce, registrar of Christchurch Technical College, who said that he s'aw Mr Hiekinbottom every night in the' shop and lcnew him well by sight. The constable was not at all impressed, exchanged a few heated words with Mr Joyce and finally grahbed him and threatened to (take him along too."