AXE ATTACK IN STREET.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 31

AXE ATTACK IN STREET.

LONDON BUTCHER INJURED. SUICIDE OF ASSAILANT. An extraordinary Incident was recently witnessed by many people In Holloway Road, London. As Mr. H. P. Steggall, a butcher, waa entering a motor car outside the shop, one of hia assistants, a man named Mitchell, rushed out and, after making a savage attack on his employer with an axe. returned to the shop and cut hia own throat with one of the knives which was lying on the bench. Mitchell was picked up dead and waa taken to the mortuary. Mr. Steggall was taken to the Royal Northern Hospital, where It was found that he was badly cut about the head and seriously injured.

So far as can be ascertained there was no apparent motive for the attack, and neighbours state that Mr. Steggall and Charles Mitchell, the assistant, whose age was about 50, appeared to be on the best of terms. The occurrence was described by an assistant In the shop. He' said that shortly after one o'clock, when they were about to close, Mitchell, who was standing in front of him, suddenly rushed out of the shop with an axe. Mr. Steggall was in the act of entering a four-seater motor car to keep a business appointment. MitcheU aimed at Mr. Steggall's head and cut through his hat, inflicting severe scalp injuries. A crowd immediately rushed to the spot, but Mr. Steggall, whose head was bleeding profusely, back to the shop. There the assistants gathered round him, and rendered first aid as well as they could until the police arrived and hurried him to the Royal Northern Hospital. Mitchell's movements after the attack were extraordinary. "He looked as though he had suddenly gone mad," said one of the assistants, "his eyes glared. He ran back into the shop, seized a knife, slashed it across his throat, and then rushed into the street and again slashed it across ht3 throat, almost cutting his head off."

After an X-ray examination in the hospital it was found that Mr. Steggall was suffering from a severe scalp wound.

Mrs. Mitchell, wife of the dead assistant, told a Press representative that about fifteen years ago her husband suffered from a severe nervous breakdown and had been for some time receiving medical attention. Afterwards he was for a time in business with hia brother, but latterly he had been out of work, and it was only about six weeks ago that he had secured the appointment with Mr. Steggall. So far as she knew Mr. Steggall and her husband seemed to get on very weU together and appeared to be on the best of terms. "At times," said Mrs. Mitchell, "my husband suffered from pains in the head, and these sometlmea gave him great trouble. He complained on some occasions of what he called 'sensations.' Last night, however, he seemed to- be quite all right."