A COWARDLY ASSAULT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11581, 12 May 1903, Page 6

A COWARDLY ASSAULT.

(PBS9S ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.} AUCKLAND, May 11. Mr T. Hutchison, S.M., held an enquiry nt Onehrmga- yesterday respecting the death of Sarah Morrish, aged eighty, a widow of means, who lived' in solitude in a very lonely part of the agricultural district- of Maugeie. The evidence showed when discovered by the neighbours on February 25th the deceased was in a terribly battered condition. Her eyes were discoloured and swollen, there were bruises and cuts about her face and hands, and her hair and clothing were matted with blood. The kitchen and bedroom floors and walls were ■budly blood-Utained. A constable eubmittetl written statements made by the deceased wh'.ui dying soino two months after the supposed assault. TJieee were to the effect that Maori youths hod called upon tho deceased on several consecutive days in order to obtain food, which sh* readily gave. Upon her refusing one morning to assist them they assaulted! her, beating •her about tho head until she fell down insensible. Detective Madden, in asking for an adjouTniiK-nt, stated that the police had scoured the neighbouring Maori settlements in scorch of youths who were suspected. Their non-success he attributed to the publicity furnished by thi> newspapers. The inquiry vaa adjourned until Monday, May 25th.