POLICE STUGGLE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1932, Page 5

POLICE STUGGLE

WITH A MADMAN

SENSATION NEAR AUCKLAND.

(Per Press Association — Copyright.)

AUCKLAND, November 9,

After a long and desperate struggle with a mental defective at Waiheke, Constables Hancox , and Worts succeeded in overpowering the man. >■ They then handcuffed him- and brought him to Auckland by a launch. For tw 0 and a-half hours a battle of wits was waged, and had it not been for t'lie tact exercised by both constables, the man might have injured them, or suffered injury himself. For nearly twelve months this man has lived alone in a small shack, lent by the owner, who only periodically visited Waiheke. Complaints have ' reached the , police from time to ' ? time about the man, who has, for many months, been entirely dependent upon charity. The shack in which he lived wag not fit for human occupation, amd unsuccessful efforts were recently made to persuade the occupant to come to Auckland and be placed under t«ome 'kind of supervision. The residents were afraid of him, and it is alleged that he made a nuisance of himself bytying ■up-gate* and fence* with wire. week-end Constable Hancox" went to Oueroa and suggested to the man that he should enter the Wolf© Home, but he became indignant, and refused. Yesterday both Constables proceeded to Oneroa. with a warrant for his arrest on a charge deeming him to be a mental defective not under control. -The Constables reached the shack shortly before one p.m. , 1

They had some difficulty in gaining access to the section,^a?,, .the gates and fences were securely ’ wired up. The warrant was . read to the man, who replied that he was not leaving the /island for anybody. >• He van off qoross the fields, towards the sea * with both constables in pursuit.' After the man, had oovered a mile, and when near the beach, ■ he; evaded the constables, and ran 'back to his shack, j He locked andj bolted the door, /and afterwards barricaded himself in. No coaxing would” entice him out of the shack ; so the front door was partly smashed in with an axe.

The madman threatened t 0 kill the first man who name in reach of him. H e 'armed himself with a slasher, and a long piece of steel, with a particularly sharp point. With this he poked at the constables through holes in the walls whenever they came near. ■ Constable Hancox then commenced to break down the. iron chimney at the rear of the oqe-roomed shack, while Constable Worts stood near the front door in case the ran out. The occupant uaw the countable standing n«W the door, and creeping up he poked the piece of pointed steel through 0 aperture in the door, and jabbed dt the,constable. The piece of steel struck Constable Worts’ trousers, tearing a hole five inches long. The cobstable narrowly escaped serious injury in the stomach. The front door was then smashed right in. This considerably ‘ aggravaM. ed the mam, who ran out of the shack, waving the slasher menacingly over his head. Ho charged at both constables, and chased the policemen off the section. Afterwards, he once again returned to his shack, still waving the slasher, and warning the constables not to go near him. The constables then Resorted to strategy to entice the man from his lair. Constable! Hancox commenced to attract hie attention, and annoy him by throwing clods at him to force him to come out, hoping Constable Worts could approach 'from behind and seeurfe him. The man rushed from his shack with 'a piece of concrete in one hand and a heavy board in the other. With the board he shielded his chest. By this time Constable .Worts had hidden himself in a that the man was not armed with the slasher, he rushed at him, but he could not prevent him from again reaching the shack.

Then the man charged 'Constable Worts with tE© piece of board. -Both men closed with each other, and f a terrific struggle ensued. The madman and the constable -rolled'over and over and into 'a three feet ditch, the constable being underneath. wedged on hi s back with the man on top of him. He had both his hands in a vice-like grip ''on the constable’s throat, and he was trying to throttle him. Constable Hancox went to the assistance of Constable Worts, and shortly after the man was overpowered and handcuffed, but not until ho -was stunned by) a blow with a piece of ti tree.

It was 3.30 p.m. when he was handcuffed, and placed on a launch bound for Auckland. This morning the unfortunate man was examined and he was later consigned 1 to .a mental hospital.