TAKAPUNA SENSATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 254, 17 March 1913, Page 5

TAKAPUNA SENSATION

A TERRIBLE ORDEAL. MR. SKEATES'S EXPERIENCES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Sati>:day. The story told by Mr. Skeates v is of an even more sensational nature, lie underwent such a terrible ordeal that the wonder is he lived to tell the tale. When seen in the hospital ward, the patient was in a remarkably cheerful condition, considering his experience, and the fact that he had been struck by five bullets. "The. first I recollect of the affair after seeing Crago go into the titree," said Mr. Skcates. '"was hearing the report of a revolver shot, the bullet striking me on the head. I fell back into the car. Opening one eye to see what was going on. I saw Crago levelling a revolver at me. his hand resting on the side of the car, and 1 felt anohtcr shot in the head. This dazed me, and 1 fell against the car. Immediately afterwards Crago came to the door and opened it, and 1 fell out of the tonneau on to the roadway. Whilst 1 was lying there, my assailant lived again at me three time's, lie put the revolver to my side and pulled the trigger. Having shot at me in this fashion," continued Mr. Skcates, "Crago jumped into the car and 1 saw and heard him trying to start the motor to get away. It took him about ten minutes to do so. but eventually I saw him disappear in the distance. 1 struggled to my feet, and though I was considerably dazed and was weak from the loss of blood I managed to walk up the road in search of help. I came across a lady' sitting at the side of the road whom T hail seen as we passed down, and she took me to a whare and bathed my wounds." CRAGO'S STORY. Auckland. Saturday. Tt is understood the arrested man ' Crago made no statement beyond what he told the police at Takapuna. He informed the latter that there had been some shooting by some persons in a motor-car on the road to Silverdale, about two and a half miles from Takapuna. He went on to explain that he was taking Skeates and Hanna out to see the country in the ear lie intended to purchase. When about 2 '/..miles from Takapuna he left the car to get some money, and while he was awav heard shots. Returning to the road, he saw Skeates lying on the road, while the other man Hanna was running off in the direction of Brown's 1 Bay. Crago said he got into the car and made haste to inform the police. THE CHAUFFEUR'S NARRATIVE. AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE. Auckland. Saturday. The chauffeur Hanna, who was seen in the casualty ward, was able to relate very clearly what had happened, though lie complained of severe head. ■ ache, and was naturally suffering some ipain from his wounds. "I first saw Crago at the garage," said Hanna, "at about 0.30 a.m. He was talking to our foreman (Mr. J. Jenkins) who subsequently brought him over to me and told me tq show him a new car and give him all ' the information he wanted about it. This I did, and understood that Crago intended to buy the car. He said he liked it very much, and wanted it taken to his place at Takapuna as soon as possible. He agreed to pay for the car. The price named for it was £425 on delivery. Mr. ~' Skeates, Crago and I left the garage in ' the car at about 1 p.m.. and caught the ' ferry boat Goshawk to Devonport. We '• then proceeded to drive to Brown's Bay, ' where Crago said he lived. "When we ' arrived near Brown's Bay," proceeded ; Hanna, "Crago pointed out a hottse, say- ' ing that it was his residence. To reach ' it we turned off the main road into a ' private thoroughfare. We had driven i some twenty yards down this side road i when Crago told me to stop. T pulled up i and he alighted, saying that he wanted ] to get (he mail nut of the mail-box in the scrub. Mr,.,Skcates who was sitting , behind in the'tonneau, leaned forward over the seat, and we were remarking upon the magnificent view when we were started by hearing several revolver shots in rapid succession. The next 1 knew T was hit in the right shoulder by a bullet." the chauffeur went on. ''Turning round T saw that Crago, who had come out. of the scrub, and was standing within a yard of the car on the right or driving side, was ju*t firing: another shot at Mr. Skeates.' The bullet took effect in Mr. Skeates' head, and T. saw him fall down in the car, and I hopped up with the intention of getting out, whereupon Crago gave me two more to i/o on with, one grazing my neck and the other taking rne in the side. I j thought Mr. Ske»tes was dead, so I got out. After dodging the man with the revolver. I kept behind the car. whilst T watched his movements from beneath it. Kinallv T saw him walk awav from the car. T looked round the back of it to see where he \\\t3 going, and he was loading up the revoh'er again. Believing Mr. Skeates to be dead. T thought I could do no good by staying to be potted at. so T made for the scrub at the side of the road, and, once under cover, I ran for nil i was worth in the direction of the house. On the way T stumbled nnd fell several times. T reached the house nearly exhausted, only to find it unoccupied. I then pushed on to the beach, in the nope of finding someone there, but no one was about. Presently, however, I saw two men up the hill, and being too gulfed to call out I beckoned to them. One of the men came down when he saw that T was in earnest, and he .'iccompanied me towards Takapuna in search of a doctor and the police."