A DETECTIVE WOUNDED.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1922, Page 5

A DETECTIVE WOUNDED.

HAMILTON CASE RECALLED, ACCUSED FOUND GUILTY. AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hamilton, ’ Last Night. At the Supreme Court, William Alexander Crossan, a young man, was charged with attempting to murder Detective Lambert. He was also charged on two counts with discharging a loaded firearm. Evidence was given on the lines of that tendered in the lower court. Detective Lambert said that after arresting accused on charges of burglary, of which he admitted guilt, accused said a missinig revolver was hidden in a gully four miles from town. The party was driven out in a taxi driven by Leo Jury. Upon reaching the gully a search was made for the revolver, and suddenly accused pulled out a revolver and covered the police, ordering them to hold up their hands or he would fire. Jury commenced to run away, and accused fired at him. but the weapon did not discharge. Jury turned and said: “It isn’t loaded.” Accused replied: “Isn’t it,” and fired into the ground. Witness closed with accused and managed to get hold of the revolver, but accused dragged it away and stood off a few feet, remarking: “I’m desperate now; I don’t want to live.” He fired the revolver at witness, and a bullet penetrated hia stomach. The shooting was absolutely deliberate. Accused ran away, but was captured by the police and others. Constable Sutton gave corroborative evidence, declaring the shooting was deliberate. After shooting, the accused put the revolver in his mouth and said: “A man ought to go on with it.” Witness called to him not to be silly, and accused threw the revolver down. Witness arrested him and took him to the police station, where, when charged, accused said: “You can hang me if you like; I don’t care if I do get the ropf.” There was no question of the shooting being accidental, as accused stepped back and fired point blank at Laufbert. Leo Francis Jury, who drove the car, said Lambert grappled with accused, who threw him partially down, aftd during a struggle the revolver went off. Accused gave evidence that he intended to keep the revolver to commit sui-* cide. and only fired the first shot to frighten Lambert. Later, in a struggle with Lambert, the latter caught hold, of the barrel of the revolver and it went o.ff. They continued to struggle for a few seconds afterwards and then Lambert fell and witness ran away. To the Crown Prosecutor: When arrested the revolver contained one cartridge. He put the others in at the Royal Hotel and tried to commit suicide. but could not muster up courage. His idea at the gully was to compel Jury to drive him away by threatening him with the revolver. After a retirement of one hour the jury returned a verdict of guilty of shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Sentence was postponed until Friday to enable the probation officer to present a report. His Honor remarked that the'case was an extraordinary one. Prisoner was quite young and seemed intelligent, while one would imagine from his bearing that he had not followed evil courses before.