Dramatic Arrest Under Arms

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 8

Dramatic Arrest Under Arms

(From "N.Z. Ti-uth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

A SENSATIONAL sequel to, the Mt. Eden hold-up— in which George Pearce and his wife were robbed by two men on returning to their homo late at night— was enacted m the Auckland police court last week, wh,en the two men alleged to have been implicated were charged with the offence. ' ■ .... They were Roy Edward Trask (22) and Norman Travers (22). In company with Trask's father, Joseph Henry Trask, all three were jointly charged with stealing a motor-car, while Trask, senr., was j separately, charged with obtaining £10 by means of a valueless cheque. The three accused were remanded. . : . , The story of the hold-up has already been related m the polumns of "N.Z. Truth." It will be remembered thai Pearce and his wife, when returning home from their shop m Pitt Street on a recent Friday night, were suddenly* attacked from behind by two men. One of the assailants snatched a handbag which Mrs. Pearce was carrying an.d_the second man pushed Pearce from behind and sent him sprawling m the roadway. He sustained injuries, while, both he and his wife suffered from shock. Following the bag-snatching episode, the two men -hurried across the road to where a car,.in which they had evidently arrived, was waiting. They boarded the vehicle, but before they could start the engine Pearce appeared on the scene and mounted the running -board irt an effort to prevent the men escaping. Before he could be removed from the car, recourse was taken to "a threat to shoot. Pearce told "truth" after the assault that, one of his assailants threatened him with a revolver; he was certaiivin his own imini that the weapon was genuine and not a "dummy." He alleged that a threat to shoot had been made and that after the car began -to -move, he was compelled to relinquish his hold. He fell m the roadway and scarred, his face. Pearce and his wife immediately notified the authorities. Three days later the Te Kuiti police effected a sensational arrest, when a car containing three men was pulled up. The, occupants of the car were the two Trasks and Travers, and m view of reports, that had been circulated as to the men allegedly being armed, the police, it is understood, arrested them > under arms. The theft of the car was the first charge preferred, but on their return to Auckland, and following further investigations, Trask. junr., and Travers were charged m connection with the Mt. Eden crime. Looking very dishevelled and unkempt, the three accused were brouaht up before Magistrate Hunt. Considerable' interest oentre.d m their appearance m court and as they left the prison-van to enter the building they were greeted by a battery of cameras. They ran the gauntlet as much under cover as possible and kept their faces well hidden by their hats. The proceedings were brief. Chief-detective Hammond, following the reading of the charges, formally asked fora remand, which was granted. Lawyer F. W. Schramm appeared for the two Trasks. A full report of the case will appear m "NJZ. Truth," It is understood that the evidence will be of a sensational nature.