MISSING GIRL

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 May 1934, Page 12

MISSING GIRL

UNUSUAL WESTPORT CASE. At the Magistrate’s Court, Westport, yesterday, before Mr H. Morgan, S.M., a resident of Westport, named Mungo Hunter, was charged with assaulting Thomas Graham Sherlock, 61, at Fairdown. The charge arose out of the disappearance of Hunter’s daughter, last month, the girl being found in a mining camp at Fairdown. Hunter pleaded not guilty (says the “West-

port News. ) Sergeant J. Mclntyre said that the assault was savage and brutal. Sherlock, who was a gold prospector, stated that he was returning to his whare after gathering wood, when Hunter, who had been hiding behind a flax bush, suddenly rushed at him and knocked him down with his lists. Hunter and his sons, who were also present, then tied Sherlock’s ankles and hands. Someone advised sending for the police, and that was done. When Constable Matches reached Fairdown, he found Sherlock still tied up. The constable was proceeding to untie Sherlock when Hunter rushed at the latter and again attacked him. Sherlock appealed to Hunter, saying, “Don’t murder me!” and Hunter replied, “I will, if you don’t tell me where the girl is.” In the course of his evidence, Hunter stated that he was married and had 13 children, the eldest being 20 years of age. The second child, a girl just over 18 years of age, had been keeping company with Sherlock’s son. When witness and his wife got to know about their keeping company, they tried to stop it. It went on for about six weeks, during which time thej r tried to persuade the girl to give Sherlock up. On a Saturday night, the girl disappeared, and her employer informed the police. "Witness searched for his daughter for 11 days. Then Sherlock’s father came to town and said he knew where the girl was, but would not. tell anyone. A house where it. was- thought the girl might be was searched, but nothing was found. Witness decided to go out? to Fairdown, and ask Sherlock where his daughter was. He went out to the camps, but Sherlock swore at him, and went, to walk away. Witness tripped him, and tied nis legs together. He gave Sherlock a few cuts with a sup-ple-jack, and Sherlock then volunteered to tell him where the girl was. He tied Sherlock up by the hands, and, on his (Hunter's) sons suggestion, he rang up for the police. He proceeded to a hut some distance away, and saw his daughter inside the hut. As soon

as she saw him, she ran to him, saying, “Dad, take me away from here.” The S.M. said that Hunter had no right to take the law into his own hands, and brutally assault an old man to force information from him. Although he could understand that Hunter was suffering from great stress of mind, such conduct could not be tolerated. Hunter would be fined £3, with costs, one month being allowed for payment.