BURGLAR SURPRISED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 16, 20 January 1902, Page 2

BURGLAR SURPRISED.

A PAELOUE-MAID ATTACKED

BY AN AHMED MAN

GIEL CLUBBED WITH A

REVOLVES

SYDNEY, January 13. A savage and brutal attack was made on 'Sunday evening upon a parlourmaid in tiie employ of Mrs Hugh Dixon, of " Abergeldie," Old Canterbury .Road, Petersham, by an armed burglar, whom she had surprised in an upstairs bedroom. The girl went up to the room at about O.LJO p.m., tlie hour when the members of the household are usually engaged at the evening meal. Opening the door without making much noise, she was startled to find a ■man in the room, who was busily engaged in clearing out drawers, investigating the contents of various reeeptables of the dressingtable, and so on. The intruder, of course, was just about as surprised as the young woman, but probably not so frightened. Seeing" that she gave every outward symptom of an immediate propensity to scream, after the fashion of womankind under such circumstances, the man suddenly produced a revolver. Brandishing the weapon in a threatening i manner, he advanced towards the girl, and rougniy ordered her to keep quiet, adding to his means of persuasion a threat that if she did not obey him ne would shoot her. Frightened for a moment, the girl did keep silent, but on regaining her courage she again showed signs of alarm. On this the man turned the weapon in his hand, ami struck her over the head with it, but not in time to prevent the scream. She was knociiecl down by the blow, and as she sank to the floor the intruder turned and bolted for the open balcony door. As he rushed through the opening he droj^ped several articles which ne had previously taken. Then, vaulting the balcony railing's, he clambered down the vines outside, and, by the time the other inmates of the house had learned what had happened, and proceeded to search for him, he had disappeared. An examination showed that the young lady was not seriously hurt. Her hair had saved her 'head from being cut with the weapon which struck her, but it had raised a nasty lump. She at once went to bed, and Mrs Dixson summoned a doctor, who said that she was suffering more from nervous shock than from bodily injury, and that in a few clays she would be all right. Inquiry of Mrs Dixson this morning at Abergeldie met with the reply that she was progressing favourably. A search of the room revealed no loss. As stated, the place had been ransacked, drawers pulled out, ana so on, but nothing was missed, save Mrs Dixson's watch and chain, purse, and a necklei which articles had all been dropped'on the balcony by the thief in. his flight.