MOUNT EDEN HOLD-UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 482, 11 October 1928, Page 1

MOUNT EDEN HOLD-UP

Two Men for Trial Charged with Robbery with Violence

FRANK ADMISSIONS TO POLICE

Following their dramatic arrest at Te Kuiti last Tuesday week, Joseph Henry Trask, aged 48, Roy Edward Trask, aged 22, fund Norman Travers, aged 22, appeared at the Police Court this morning. The two latter were committed for trial on a charge of robbery with violence, the offence being said to have taken place at Mount Eden on September 28. The elder Trask was gaoled on summary charges.

R OY TRASK and Travers pleaded guilty to converting to their own use on September 29 a car valued at £220, and belonging to Bert Shorter. Tjask pleaded guilty to stealing six gallons of petrol valued at 12s from Sidney J. Gilbertson. Both men pleaded not guilty to converting, on September 28, a car valued at £3OO, the property of Cavanagh and Co. Evidence was called on the indictable charge of robbing George and Elizabeth Pearce of a handbag and £6 in money at Mount Eden on Sep tember 28, and using violence at the time of the robbery. HOLD-UP DESCRIBED George Pearce described the hold-up of September 18, as already reported in The Sun. He said that when walking home from his shop along Mount Eden Road, with his wife, about 9.30 In the evening, he had been attacked by one man, while a second made off with his wife’s handbag. The man who tripped him had endeavoured tc wrench away his attache case containing about £35, but had failed. Both men had then run away, and jumped into a car, which they drove off toward the Mount Eden tram terminus. ■- ■ Witness, after making vain endeavours to stop the men from get ting away, jumped on to the running board of the car. He had remained there while the car had travelled about a mile and a-half, one of the men endeavouring to dislodge him during that time. THREATENED WITH “REVOLVER” Witness ultimately jumped off after having been threatened with what appeared to be a revolver. He had hurt his eye and face while jumping off the car, and had injured his hand when first assaulted. “I recognise Trask as the man who was driving the car, and I should say the ether accused is the man who was sitting beside the driver,” concluded witness. Elizabeth Pearce corroborated that part of her husband’s story dealing with the robbery. She was, however, unable to identify her husband’s assailant or the other man who took her handbag. The stolen bag had contained about £6 in money and the subscription card of an Auckland paper. Witness said that her name and address were on the card. Robert Graham found the card be longing to Mrs. Pearce in his car when It was recovered in Green Lane after being taken from Symonds Street on the night in question. ADMISSIONS BY ACCUSED Detective O’Sullivan produced statements made by Roy Trask and Travers. The former had admitted arranging with Travers to waylay Mr. Pearce, but had declared the job off as his car was out of order. As a result of a conversation with Travers, they had

decided to take a car from the street to carry out their plans. He admitted the facts aB stated by Mr. Pearce, giving as his reason the fact that he was hard up and could get no money. Trask said that he had stolen the benzine by having his car filled up, sending the attendant away to get a bulb and driving away. Travers described himself in his statement as a seaman. He said he had been out of work for some time and so Trask’s suggestion that he could get money was attractive to him. He had met Trask accidentally some time previously. He also admitted the facts of the robbery as already mentioned, adding that of the £6 in the bag he had kept £l, giving the balance to Trask. The toy pistol, with which Mr. Pearce was threatened, had been thrown out of the car. Deponent and the two Trasks had decided to leave Auckland, hiring a car from Bert Shorter for the purpose. They had slept in the car at Hamilton the first night after leaving the city, being arrested later at Te Kuiti. GAOL FOR STEALING CARS Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., then dealt with Roy Trask and Travers on the summary charges. For converting the car that was taken from Symonds Street both accused were sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Trask was sentenced to a further 14 days' imprisonment for stealing the petrol, the magistrate remarking that it was evident that Trask thought he had done something clever. On a further charge of converting the car in which the three men left Auckland, Roy Trask and Travers were convicted and discharged. For both accused Mr. Schramm pleaded not guilty on the major charge and reserved his defence, both men being committed to the Supreme Court for trial. ELDER TRASK GAOLED FRAUD AND CONVERSION OF CAR Joseph Henry Trask, for whom Mr. Schramm also appeared, pleaded guilty on five charges of obtaining money by presenting valueless cheques and one of converting to his own use a motor-car valued at £220, the property of Bert Shorter. Chief Detective Hammond said that Trask, who was an Australian, had been in New Zealand only (bree years. He had an account at an Auckland bank and had issued cheques while knowing that he was out of funds. Bogus cheques had oeen accepted by five different people, and Trask had benefited to the extent of £33 18s 6d. The offences were spread from September 10 to September 27, and culminated in the conversion of Shorter’s car and the flight to the South. “He has a pretty good list,” concluded Mr. Hammond. Mr. Schramm admitted that Trask was on probation for arson, but said that all his offences were the result of drink. Counsel asked the magistrate to give him the benefit of probation. Mr. Hunt: Certainly not. He has lost his chance. He nas a list of eight previous convictions. Trask was to three months’ imprisonment on the charge <of converting the car, and six months on the first of the fraud charges, being convicted and discharged on the others.