A MIDNIGHT INTRUDER

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 December 1920, Page 8

A MIDNIGHT INTRUDER

MEETS WITH HIS MATCH

An unusual incident, which might Have resulted far more seriously than -in the biter's being merely badly bitten, took" place at Midhirst on 'rnurs- j <iay last. Mr T. M. Winiki, tlie well- j fcnown boxing instructor, has occasion i to leave "his home for two or three days j each week in ■n»'der to attend to hi* boxing classes in New Plymouth and elsewhere. A fortnight ago Mrs Wlniki, who was aione in the hou«e with, her two children during her husband's absence on business, was somewhat alarmed by a mysterious mdi'- ' vidual who was nosing around the back '■of the building about midnight. She jjiuckily went out to_discover the lde^ixity or the night prowler, a man of •we'riium build and dressed m dark «lothes. As she approached, this person.' seised her by the wrist and <lragged her towards him. at the same •nimti keeping his face turned .well away. Fearlessly. she tried her best fo obtain a giunpse of his features in order to recognise the gallant hoodlum, but he, realising that discretion was Mb next Lest play, broke a-way -and vanished into the nifiht. Last Wednesday evening Mr Wmun jagain left Midhirst for his usual n-eekly business visit to . New Plymouth and, during his absence on Thursday night, the same or another "prowler again visited the premises About 1 a.m. Mrs Wmiki was awakened by the sound o£ someone attempting to force an entry through the back door. Arising from her bed she buttoned on -an overcoat, seized an axe vhich she had carefully placed near the *ed, and went through to the door m question. Holding the axe behind her lack she quietly Opened the door ana •ijsked: "Who's there and what do you Avant?" She beheld a mysterious masked man, who held his hands towards her, iK^-.said in low tones: I want you.'-^Wi'ire the girl I've been wanting for" a long c *f 7'mf> one of his sleeves with her left hand, ier right securely holding the axe behind her back, she stepped through the doorway one pace outside; lmitatjlna: the tnas&«l hoodlum's forced tones shi said: 1%1 want you. You're the man I've been wanting all these days" Thud! Her right hand swung the axe, and the butt of the axe-head connected solidly with the midnight prowler's neck. Pained and shocked, that gallant worthy staggered a tew paces "backward, raising his hands pleadingly and saying: "Don t hurt me; please don't hurt me I'; Mrs Winiki made a swift rush at him and tried t° tear t3ie mask frOm 1S J *mt without success. She secured a grip of it between her fingers, but the mask was solidly made of cloth or canvas and well tied on; the'hoodlum turned and ran for his life, she pursuing him over the paddocks. He however, made good use of his teet while the going was still good, and the lady was unable to again make ■contact with him. Her coolness and courage m dealing so efficiently with an unexpected 'and. •alarming situation, are. admirable in the extreme, and that midnight intruder is to-day doubtless a sadder and -a wiser man. Should he or any of his oobber-s care to call again at the same time and same house next Thursday, when Mr Winiki will be as usual attending to his boxing classes m New Plymouth, a still warmer welcome will •4>e provided by the professor's charming wife. The good lady will sincerely ■welcome the next masked hoodlum -with a .455 Webley service revolver, in the use of which she is highly pro--iicient.—Taranafli Herald.