WITH REVOLVER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 915, 7 March 1930, Page 1

WITH REVOLVER

DESPERATE LOVER FOLLOWS GIRL ORDERED TO LEAVE CITY •If accused is not placed under restraint, I am afraid there will be a murder charge,” declared the Rev. A. V. Whiting. Congregational minister at New Lynn, when James Alfred Essex Grundy stood in the Police Court dock this morning. It was stated of accused that he had been before the court about 15 mouths ago, when it had been suggested that he was annoying a girl, and had followed her about with a revolver, lie was charged this morning with committing mischief by wilfully damaging a window belonging to Joseph Taylor to the extent of 7s 6d. There was a second count of breaking and entering Taylor’s house on February 5 and stealing letters and photographs valued at 2s 6d, and belonging to the girl involved in the earlier case. The charge was reduced to theft, and Mr. Yallance entered pleas of guilty on both charges. Grundy, a labourer, aged 22, was given his chance of leaving the town or going to gaol. He assured Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., that he would adopt the former course. DESCRIBED AS NUISANCE Grundy was described by DetectiveSergeant Kelly as a nuisance. He had broken into the house where the gill lived and stolen letters and photographs. which he afterward produced in frout of her. More than a year ago he had been up for annoying the same girl, and threatening her with a revolver. He had threatened to throw himself over Grafton Bridge if the girl would not marry him. The Magistrate: I remember. I bound him over for 12 months, and lie did as I suggested, and left town. When his time was up he returned. Mr. Yallance explained that accused had returned on account of illness in the family. He had met the girl iu the street by accident and acted foolishly. Accused: I never threatened the giri. The revolver was for myself. Counsel: It was an old weapon, amt out of order.

The Rev. A. V. Whiting, who had stepped up from the body of the court, stated that the weapon had been fully loaded. “I say the same now as I did 15 months ago,” he said. “Unless accused is put under restraint, we shall have a murder charge. The girl is terrified.” The Magistrate: You can go away or go to gaol, Grundy. Accused, promptly: I shall go away. Grundy was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon. If ho stays in Auckland, it will mean that he will get six months,” the magistrate added. There was also an application by the girl for sureties of the peace against accused, and the magistrate bound him over in one surety of £IOO. “That is equivalent to giving him six months, as he can’t find surety,” counsel commented. The Magistrate: I can’t help that.