MASKED ROBBER

NZ Truth, Issue 1201, 6 December 1928, Page 3

MASKED ROBBER

Dastardly Attack On Old Lady At Night In Lonely Cottage

RAMARAMA OUTRAGE SEQUEL

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative). Shorn of the mask which partly covered his face on the night he terrorised Miss Cole-Baker, an old woman of nearly seventy years, by his daring entrance into her house at Ramarama, and his outrageous attack on her there, Frederick Thomas Kelly May was a subdued desperado when he stood m the dock at the Pukekohe Police Court to answer seven charges, first of which was a serious one m regard to his diabolical assault on her.

THROUGHOUT her evidence, the old 1 lady remained calm, and when asked to identify May, she gave him a quick, searching look, answering that, so far as she could say, he was the man. * The old lady gave a description of her house, screened from the road by trees, and said that the only person living near was an old man who occupied a two-roomed whare at the' rear of her home. The first time she saw May was on the morning of November 7, when he called, asking for a cup of tea. This she had provided and she, her old neighbor and May, had partaken of morning tea m her kitchen. She had not seen May again until about a week later when he came upon her under such different circumstances. Telling of how she searched the house alone and unarmed after hearing mysterious tappings at both back and front doors. Miss Cole-Baker said that she threw a dressing-gown over her nightdress, and, stepping out on to the verandah, called into the night, asking who' was about. Twice she left her bed to seek the cause of the noises about the house. Then she threw open the door of a bedroom adjoining the bathroom and came face to face with the masked intruder. "What are you doing here?" she demanded. His reply was a command: "Go back to bed." "You were alarmed?" asked Detective Doyle. "Yes, I suppose I was answered the old lady with a smile. "And frightened?" I "Well, naturally, I was a bit, at having a strange man m the house," she said, laughing lightly. "Do you remember trying to escape by the back door?" "Well, it was all like a bad dream," said the old lady. "I think I tried to get out of the door to call Mr. Sharp." The masked man stepped m front of her when she made for the door, she continued, and she tried to call out. ; "None of that. I have a pistol m my pocket," said her assailant, and he then took her back into the bedroom, saying that he would go if she got back into bed. I Miss Cole-Baker told the court that

she sat on the side of the bed and the man sat beside her. He then assaulted her,- afterwards ransacking the house. He asked her if she had any money. She told him that there vras half*acrown m the dining-room — all the cash she had. The man took the half-a-crown, then finding her cheque-book, demanded that she write him a cheque m the name of Robinson. "When I told him that I had only four or five pounds In the bank, and asked him how much he wanted," said MiSS Cole-Baker, he replied, ""Well, as it's Christmas time, make it £2/5/-.'* She reminded him that he already had half-a-crown and he then said, "Well, make it £2/2/6." When the intruder finally left the i house, continued the old lady, he instructed her to. leave the lights switched on until he whistled to her. She did not inform anyone of the outrage until the following morning 1 , when she told a neighbor, Mrs. Sharp, all that had occurred. Elizabeth Sharp told of Miss ColeBaker's complaint to her on the morning following the assault. The old lady was very distressed, she said, and asked witness to telephone to the police, as there had been a burglar m the. house. "Miss Cole-Baker suffers from heart j failure, and physically she is not strong," said Dr. McWhirter, who examined the old lady on November 13. "I am ashamed of what I have i done, and I do not want to cause | the lady any more suffering over j the matter," said May m a statement to the police. On the charge of assault on Miss Cole-Baker, and on charges of obtaining a cheque from her by menace and theft Of suitcases, a ring and a goldmounted seal from her house and 16/---in money from the whare of John Morgan Sharp, May pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Subsequently, at the Supreme Court, May was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment with hard labor for the assault on Miss Cole-Baker, and a similar punishment was inflicted on him for an assault on a girl of 13 years at Waiotira, the sentences to be concurrent.