TOLD ME TO "COME ACROSS"

NZ Truth, Issue 1301, 20 November 1930, Page 9

TOLD ME TO "COME ACROSS"

For Trial Tt

"Had Wind Up " •

Young Man Alleges Money Was Demanded by Menaces

INCIDENT ON LONELY SECTION DENIED'

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) ' v .!!, Mervyn Bruce Osborne tol^MrJ" Fi l£ Hunt) SIM.,' that he ha 4-{ "the wind up" recently when m. -the darkness :of -. r a lonely part^of r^the city on a vacant section, two'nientiad kMdenlyvctoM up to him % and his companion, an Australian* named/ ErneH ; Hetiry-Pierce/Wd ! after accusing him of having committed a serious offence m regard to the latter, demanded all the money he had on him.

OSBORNE, however, proved . himself to be just a little too wise, according to his version of the affair, with the result that James Lewis, a Canadian, and the Australian, Francis Pierce, appeared before the court and pleaded not guilty td a charge of demanding money by menaces. In evidence, Osborne said that it was early m the month that he went one evening for a walk along the waterfront and met Pierce. They exchanged commonplaces and talked about things In general. He had told Pierce that he was a stranger m Auckland, and said that he was out for a little walk before going to bed. Pierce, according to Osborne's statement, then suggested -walking m the direction of Luna Park, where a good view of North Shore was to be obtained. On their way back, he said, as they were crossing a vacant section, he stopped for a moment, and it -was then that two men approached, one of whom he had subsequently come to know as Lewis. "Lewis said, 'What are you doing here?' and I told him that I had just been out for a little stroll," Osborne told Chief-detective Hammond. "Lewis said, 'Oh, no, you haven't. What business are you on here? You have been . up to something.' He then told me that I had been interfering .'with this young chap'," - related Osborne. On hearing this astounding allegation, said Osborne, his reply was that he had certainly done no. such thing, but Lewis said, "Oh, yes, you have." Lewis then turned to Pierce and said, "He has, hasn't he?" and Pierce replied m the affirmative. - "I was astounded." proceeded Osborne. "Then the third man spoke for the first time, and said, 'Too right, you have/" Lewis, witness stated, seemed to be the spokesman, and Osborne frankly admitted that "he was a bit scared." Chief-detective Hammond: What happened then?— Lewis .said, "We got one —7- four years for that sort of thing." ' And after that?— He told mcV to "come across" with what I'd got. Witness had replied that he had nothing and started to walk away, anticipating that the men were after money, and he wished to "get out of it." Two of the men told him they were out of work and were hard up. ."I put my hand m my pocket and pulledi out 2/- and a threepenny bit, telling them it was all I had," Osborne added. "Lewis grabbed it and said, 'You have more than that.' I

then put my hand m my rear pocket and pulled out three or four shillings and the key of my office, assuring them -that I had no more. Lewis grabbed the lot, and when I asked for my key back they wouldn't give it to me." According to Osborne's further story,' Lewis then said that they "wanted three quid from him." He told them that he hadn't got it, but if the three of them liked to go to the hotel he would give it • to them. i "Lewis told me 'not to try any funny business' and that Pierce would go with me while the other two would tollow on behind," he continued. ■ Concluding, Osborne stated that as he turned m at the bottom of Queen Street he saw a constable and called him and then laid his complaint. Chief- detective Hammond: And their attitude was threatening? — Yes. it put the wind up me. I was afraid of them. You gave them what money you had? — No, I had £5 m my. inside pocket. Constable Smith said that at the police station he asked Pierce what he had to say about the matter, and then Pierce made a statement. In the statement produced Pierce gave his age as seventeen. He ad-

mitted meeting Osborne, and said tnat U they had started to talk about things V. ! m general. ' yl They went for a stroll, and during the walk Osborne tried to interfere - ; : with him. '1 , Two men whom he knew came • along, however, and they, accord- : ! ing to Pierce, asked him what had » happened/ He told them, and they then asked Osborne if it was true that he had insulted Pierce: v Osborne started talking to. tltem, ' ; continued the statement, and said, he ,V would give them a few shilling v He took some money out .of his pockets v and gave it; to: them,- and: r/also'V told Pierce to go to his hotel arid he would* give him a few. pounds "to keep him . quiet." -..■'" "We walked to Queen ..Street," added ;* the statement, "where he met two policemen. He tpld them I had been demanding money from" them -and made other allegations." . + . .: Pierce; ,at the end of ; hi? .statement; said that while at the Wharf Police Station, Lewis had .been brought m. ; He asserted that he did hot know the name of the third 'man who had been with Lewis, and denied having demanded any money from Osbqrne. He had never been m trouble before. Charges of being idle and disorderly were also preferred against both Pierce and Lewis. To this count Vthey pleaded guilty, but the matter wj=ls ad^ournedOn the major charge ' Both plead©* not guilty and. were ' committed *■■ -%o <.■ the Supreme Coutt for trial. J