DEAD BANK ROBBER

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1931, Page 3

DEAD BANK ROBBER

POLICE' MAKE- FRESH DISCOVERIES. AIK PISTOL AND KNIFE. AUCKLAND, N o v. 28. Two detective-sergeants are still actively engaged' £jjss|investigating the record of the, Australian, Oswald Laurence Couliton, who wrts shot dead when attempting to rob the Bank of New ZPalahd, Remuera. Although there is evidence that . Cbuiton was criminally inclined, nothing which will definitely link him up with recent crimes in Auckland has .Been founo; Coulton’s activities, in crime are indicated by his mode of living, as no

was frequently out,,at /ill hours of the

night. After he l|i|ph'is farm employment at Papaluira,, lj.e had no regular work and was notviemployed on relief work. Conservations he had on the telephone .from . his apartment house are ; suggestive of secrecy and they ceHainly divulged nothing to: any person chancing to hear him speak. A further factor suggesting that Coulton was a-criminal is the finding of a heavy air-pistol and a knife among some belongings which he left at a house he lived in for a. suort time. The ,pistol and knife were not found in the room Coniton occupied at Park Road, but in another house in Auckland wlfere he had stayed and had left without paying his hoard, and where some of his possessions were held by the landlady. She had never inspected the articles, and was un-' aware that the revolver and knife were

among them. “AUNTY’ ’ QUESTIONED

The identity of the woman whom Coulton called “aunty” has been es tahlished, and ,the polie'e have interviewed her. She is a married woman with a. family. Other women iviM: whom he was friendly have been, In terviewed. One of them had beer engaged bv Coulton to write stories for him. It is clear that not one ol the wompn had a suspicion of the true nature of the man they were friendly with. The hover .of an aviation magazine which Coulton lent to a friend, has been much scribbled on in Coulton’s handwriting. A dozen or more times on tire cover he has written lifs, signature, and in addition there is the name Mac'Kivy. 'Peculiarly {enough the name-is that of the man whose forged in Australia and seen fed £2512 from a hank. It is; a coincidence that Mac Kay is the name on. the pharmacy in Wellesley Street where Mr A. J. Blomfield was was murdered on October 30. NO DARK SUIT. Therouxs one link Gonlton ifWlfc connected Blomfield. The persons who tendered statements to the police all say that the man they: saw'ninnin.g”2f\ya\C'ftdm the pharmacya dafk'jib!ue suit, but no evidence that Coulto'fi - eVer possessed one can be Found. The clothes he had were a. fawn suit and a grey. So far neither of the two men who were in the habit of ringing Coulton up and leaving messages for him nas come to light. It was one of *tho two who left the message that Coulton was to go-. to Christchurch and lie left the house next day. Whether he ever visited -Christchurch has not been learned, hut inquiries are being made in that city, and it should not be difficult to prove the; truth or otherwise of Coultonstatement,:

The funeral of Coulton took place the Papakura Cemetery. No in.strnctioriK. regarding the burial were received from Australia, and it was arranged by friends of the dead .man in Papako’-n.