Startling Adventure of Lady a Missionaries.

Hastings Standard, Issue 48, 22 June 1896, Page 4

Startling Adventure of Lady a Missionaries.

On the evening of Easter Sunday, in the village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, a Scotch lady missionary, Miss Crawford, and her assistant, Miss Waite, were (says the Westminster Gazette) set upon and dreadfully mangled by their Moslem servant. Miss Ciawford lived in a hou>e 011 the south-eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, just above Bethany, and on Faster! - Sunday night, while they were in the drawing-room after their return from a visit to Jerusalem and Bethany their Moslem servant, a young man of 22, who had been with them only a short time, came in with a large knife or dagger and a long rope. He locked the door and advanced 011 the two defenceless ladies, tried to bind them, and then attacked them with the knife. In the scuttle the lamp was overturned and the room was plunged in darkness. Miss Waite after trying to defend Miss Crawford, in doing so she got her hands dreadfully cut, managed to get to the door and, opening it, rushed downstairs to summons assistance. She found, however, that all the tloors had been secured anel the keys removed. The Moslem pursued her and dragged her upstairs, where Miss Crawford was lying dreadfully mutilated about the head and throat. By some means Miss Crawford escaped to her own bedroom and locked the door, from which sh« pushed several pounds

to try and satisfy the man. He then decamoed, securing the doors so that the ladies could not escape.J They remained in the house till morning, when they were able to attract attention in the village, and information was sent to Dr Wheeler, and also to l)r Dickens, British Consul,' Jerusalem, who at once proceeded to Bethany. The wounded ladies were attended to as speedily as possible, and later in the day they were removed to the English Hospital, Jerusalem. The Moslem, in trving to escape in the darkness, must have fallen over some enbankment and injured himself somewhat severely, for during the day he went to the Russian Hospital, saying he had been attacked and wounded l>y robbers. He was traced there and arrested by the British Vice-Consul, and conveyed to prison.