SAVAGE ATTACK ON WOMAN

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1937, Page 6

SAVAGE ATTACK ON WOMAN

[Per Press Association. Copyright.} WANGANUI, This Day. Suffering from severe wounds on the head, apparently caused by some blunt weapon wielded several times, Mrs Una Thompson, aged 25. residing at Willis Street, Wanganui, was found unconscious on a footpath in a lonely part of Anzac Parade just before 1 o’clock yesterday morning. The discovery was made by passing motorists, who went to the police station and called an ambulance, and motored back to the scene with a constable.

■■ A.t first, the motorist thought the victim was a man as she was clad in grey slacks and a leather coat. It was also thought that she had been run down by a motorist. Victim of Foul Play.

Later investigation proved, however. . that Mrs Thompson Ijad been the victim of foul play. He head was severely battered and the left hand, evidently used as a guard, had been badly brdised. Mrs Thompson spent the evening with friends in Harrison Street and her husband, Mr Frank Thompson, who is a carpenter, went to a men's entertainment in the city. She left Harrison Street at about. midnight to walk home, refusing company on the journey. Mr Thompson, who arrived home at about 1.30 o’clock, discovered that his wife had not returned, and » set out for Harrison Street.

Still Unconscious,

En route he saw the ambulance, but he did not stop. On arriving at Harrison Street, ho was told that Mrs Thompson had .left some time before. Hurrying back to the scene of the accident, Mr Thompson got from bystanders a description of the injured woman, finally setting out in pursuit of the ambulance when he realised it was his wife. Up to a late hour last night, Mrs 1 Thompson was still unconscious, but was showing a slight improvement. Mr and Mrs Thompson came to Wanganui recently from Invercargill. Where the attack took place, a fairly high gorse hedge flanks a big empty section, and on the opposite side of ■ the road is a market garden and the Wanganui Esplanade, which borders the river.

Motive F6r Attack Missing

Where Mrs Thompson was found was almost half-way along the frontage of the empty section. Her head was lying close to the gorse and rested underneath an arm. A bag of golf clubs which she had been carrying lay on the footpath nearby. There is nothing to indicate the motive for the attack. The police immediately began an investigatlOh, including a search for the weapon used by the assailant.