AUCKLAND ASSAULT CASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 19 March 1913, Page 3

AUCKLAND ASSAULT CASE

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. AUCKL'AND, March 17. There was considerable improvement vssterdav in the condition of the man i)o Erneste. who was the victim of assau'.t in Havr-road early on Saturday norning. A "Herald" representative who visited him in the 'hospital found tiim with his head swathed in bandages, ind a most conspicuous black eye. He was, however, able to give a more deJailed; account of the mysterious proceedings. Shortlv after 11 p.m. on Friday, he said, while at the tar stand in 3ueen-street. he answered a telephone •all, and was asked to go to the man-o'-.var steps, and take two men to Three vin°s, calling in at Newmarket station. De Erneste went to the appointed place. ,vhere two rather rough-looking men boarded the car and were driven to Newnarket station, where they got out to look for a man named "Bob." The latter, however, was not to be found, and, ths party brhaved in such a pecul'ar manner that he asked them if they really knew, where they wanted to go. He looked at his watch", and found that it was •lose upon midnight. About half-way up layr-road the men said that they were lear the gate of a certain house, and vanted. to get out. That was the last he •emernbered. He considers that ha mist have been hit by two full heer lotrles. as his clothes were soaked with >e"r,i and the bottom of the car was -trewn with broken glass,—amongst it wo bottle necks, with the capsules still n. When he returned to consciousness le was lying en the road feeling very ick. He was found, as before stated, bv Mr. Preston, and after a rest was aken to the hospital. De Ph'neste could iot account for the affair in any way. "-Ie had not seen the two men before, hut would 'recognise them again if he saw them.