SHOOTING AFFRAY.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 345, 28 January 1937, Page 5

SHOOTING AFFRAY.

Court Investigation Of Bank Affair. L Press Association —'Copyright. Received 2 p.m. Invercargill, To-day. The Court investigation regarding the Bank shooting case in morning of December 27, began beC fore Mr. Freeman, S.M., this morning. The inquest on the deceased Fletcher, and the criminal charges, were taken together. Oswald Cameron Cowie, aged 17, bank clerk, was charged that he did kill Michael Fletcher, and three youths, William Martin Robertson, Tangi Kitson, and William Thomas McQuarrie, w|;re jointly charged with being found on Bank premises without lawful excuse under circumstances which did not disclose the commission of of intent to commit a crime. The tliree latter youths pleaded not guilty to being unlawfully on the premises of the Bank. Mr MacalisteL for the Crown, said that the charges were laid under the Police Offences Act. The three defendants and another, called at the Bank having seen a light. When they rang the bell one clerk, Wyatt, opened the door and as a result of what he said the four went upstairs and spent some time there. * Edward Wyatt, aged 20, the bank clerk who was sleeping on the premises with Cowie, gave evidence that he opened the door and saw

four men, none of whom he knew. They advanced over the threshold and one said that he knew a man who used to be in the Bank. After a short conversation, all went upstairs, but he did not invite them. .The men stayed three hours. v Cowie, in his evidence, said that after the admittance of the men, he went back and put a revolver in his pocket. He went down to the basement and asked the men to leave. Wyatt, being the senior, asked him for the revolver which he handed over. The men were asked to leave several times, but took no notice. To Mr Cruickfitank he thought by the jabber of voices that mischief was meant and so became uneasy. He could not force the men out. The Magistrate, at the conclusion of the evidence, said that it was evident that what had happened was that young fellows were going along thinking there was a party at the Bank. The charges against them were accordingly dismissed. The case against Cowie and (he inquest on Fletcher, are preceding.