BRUTAL ASSAULT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15920, 4 May 1912, Page 9

BRUTAL ASSAULT.

OLD MAN.ATTACKED. [Per Press Association:] AUCKLAND. May 3. A man named Frank Taylor was arrested this morning on a charge of having last evening violently assaulted and robbed, Edward Olsen, an enfeebled man of 74 years of age. When seen at the corner of Customs Street and Queen Street, where he sells newspapers, Olsen, who had struggled down to his employment because he had not the wherewithal to purchase a meal, was found to bo in a very weak state and shaking from head to foot, and as ho received payment for a paper he could only sob his thanks. Olsen made tho following statement:— " T was alone in my room in Saint Paul Street last evening about eight o'clock when a young man entered and remarked ' You have got to shout.' I refused, whereupon tho man said, ' I will make you.' He caught mo by the throat and threw me back on to the bed in the corner. The man then snatched my watch and chain, and, ripping open my trousers pocket, took all it contained, about 25s in silver. I called for help, but the intruder tightened his grip upon my. throat till I became insensible and collapsed. After some time I recovered consciousness and crawled along to Constable Watson's residence near by. I told the constable what had happened." A search was made _at once,_ and Taylor was eventually discovered in an hotel. On being charged with tho assault he strenuously denied any knowledge of the affair. He was taken to tho waterfront police station, and searched, a watch and chain being found in his possession. These Olsen claimed as those he had been wearing previous to the assault. Taylor had only Is in his pocket. He was charged" at the Police Court this morning, and on the application of the police was remanded for a week.