"SANDBAGGING" STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 230, 28 September 1929, Page 7

"SANDBAGGING" STORY.

MARRIED WOMAN'S INJURY. CAUSED ACCIDENTALLY. The report that Mrs. Hedber,g, of Christchurch, who has been residing in Foxto.n for the past 'five' weeks carrying out experiments regarding the; flax indsutry, was sandbagged at a flaxHiill in Foxton on Wednesday morning, is discredited. Mrs. Hedberg and Mr. T. S. Evans \yent to Foxton to experiment with a secret process for bleaching flax and converting the fibre into. silk. The use of Nye's mill, which has not been operating for some time, was obtained. The police received a telephonic communication to the effect that Mrs. Hedberg had been struck over the head while working ing in her room at the mill. A doctor and police went to the mill, and Mrs. Hedberg was removed to her hotel, where it was discovered that her injuries* consisted of a swelling on the top of her skull several inches Iqng. over the light eye. She was also bleeding at the nose. Mrs. Hedberg said she was struck a violent blow across the forehead. All she could remember was seeing a hand and a grey sleeve and feeling a stunning blow. It was the second: attempt made on her life by some unknown assailant, who was determined to wrest the secret of her process for converting flax fibre into silk. Six months ago, she alleged, she was attacked by a man in her factory at -Christchurch and badly knocked about. Her formulae were not stolen, as they.,were carefully.hidden, .but a quantity of. prepared "hemp and silk was "removed. / ' ■ ' • Senior-Detective, Quirke. and; Detective Eussell visited Foxt.oji. and after carrying out full investigations, they suggested that the caus-e may have -been an^accident. Mrs. .Hedbenr, who is'not enjoying the best of health at the present time, had , carried "her ' baby and attache case from the hotel to the rnM alon" the river bank—a distance of approximately a' milc-and, followmg upon her arrival at the mill, had placed the baby'in a chair-and had then proceeded -to gather some wood chips However,.. from the . position in which Mrs Hedber- had fallen, it .had been apparent that she had suffered a seizure before actually reaching . the doorway and falling, ha<L struck the woodwork on the side of the entrance way., , .' ,