ASSAULT AND ROBBERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2231, 27 January 1921, Page 3

ASSAULT AND ROBBERY.

TAYLOR PLEADS GUILTY. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. At the local Police Court yesterday morning, before Messrs Hornblow and Chrystall, J’sf.P., John Taylor, who had been remanded from Monday, was charged with assaulting and robbing Samuel Humphries.

Detective Quirke conducted the case on behalf of the police, and accused was not represented by counsel.

The prosecution called the following evidence: — Samuel Humphries, labourer, Dannevirke, stated that he left Dannevirke on Thursday, the 20th instant, for Foxton. Stayed one night at Woodville, arriving in Foxton on the evening of the 21st. Had £22 when he left Dannevirke, and his expenses coming down did not amount to more than £2, so had about £2O on arrival. Stayed at the Family Hotel. On the morning of the 22nd instant was in a sittingroom in the hotel in company with the accused. There were a number of other persons present. Had never seen the accused before. Was with him for about an hour, and had several drinks. To the best of his knowledge, witness said, he left the hotel in a car for the race course. Couldn’t say if accused was in the car with him or not, but didn’t think he was. Went back to the hotel from the course in a car. Did not remember if lie was in accused s company at the hotel after getting back from the course. Had his money in his inside vest pocket. There wore two £5 notes and about ten singles. Had also a few shillings in his trousers pocket. His next experience was that he met a woman at the river bank. Could not say whether .lie had previously met the woman at the hotel or not. The woman look witness .into the lupins, and then disappeared, and he did not see her again. He was then struck from behind and knocked down. It was the accused who hit him, but lie could not say how many times he hit witness. When witness fell accused turned him face upwards, put his knee on his chest, opened his waistcoat, and took the money. When he got the money accused said, “f ve got you, von and struck witness ngnin. Witness continued: “When 1 found that lie had me beat, I mnooged to him, and said: ‘Why do you do this to me?’ and 1 believe he gave me another clout. I fyns choking with blood, and lie was still hitting me. I said to him: ‘For God’s sake let me go, and there’ll be no more about it.’ He then let me up, and look me down to the river and washed me. W hen 1 got free of him I went up the town and informed the police.” Witness said that later on he identified the accused in the street from a number of men, and pointed him out to the police. In answer to a question by the accused, witness replied: “How I got to the river bed with the woman is a mystery to me.”

George William Shepherd, licensee of the Family Hotel, said ilia! the complainant, Humphries, came to his hotel on the night of the list instant. On Saturday, from about 11 o’clock until about one o’clock the accused, complainant and another man and a woman were together in the tap room. Accused and Humphries had about eight or nine drinks each. They were both sober at one o’clock. He didn’t see them leave the hotel. Saw accused again about 4 o’clock. He was in his normal condition. Saw Humphries about an hour later. He was much knocked about.

Mrs Eva Logan, employed at the. Manawatn Hotel, stated that on Saturday afternoon, between 3 and 4 o’clock, the accused and another man and a woman came into the bar. Accused called for drinks, and shouted for all in the bar at the time, paying for same in silver, He then left his companions and came to witness, and asked for the change of a £5 nolo, which was given him. He then returned to his companions, and shouted again. The three of them left the hotel together, but the accused returned later and changed another £5 note. Constable Owen said that about 0 pan. on Saturday Humphries iniicle a complaint to him. He was then badly knocked about —a cut behind each ear, left jaw very much swollen, eyelids of left eye so much swollen that the eyeball could not be seen. He was deeding from the eye, and the front of his clothes were covered in blood, and bis shirt was torn. Was present when complainant pointed out the accused in the street, and he later arrested the accused. Tic found blood stains on the legs of bis trousers. Constable O’Donoghue stated that lie was present when accused was arrested. He later searched him, and found £3 10s in his possessioh. He found the money in the lining of the back of accused’s coat. Next day accused said he wished to make a statement, and witness took it down, read it over to him in the presence of Constable Owen, and accused affixed his mark to it. The witness then read the statement made by the accused, which was to the effect that when they were in the hotel together drinking, the woman, whom accused stated he did not know previously, suggested that they (she and accused) should get complainant’s money, and it was arranged that the woman should entice him down to the river bank', and accused would follow, and they would then rob him. The woman took Humphries down to the river bank, and accused followed and as-

saulted-him. Taylor said he then took two £5 notes out of the man’s trousers pocket, and that the woman opened his 'vest and took some notes out of his inside vest pocket. They afterwards went to the Manawatu Hotel,' where he changed the £5 notes, and lie gave the woman £3 14s Od out of them. The £3 10s found on him when arrested was all that lie had left out of the money, having spent the balance in shouting during the afternoon. This concluded the evidence, and accused pleaded guilty and was committed to’ the Supreme Court, .Wellington, for sentence.