ROBBED AND ASSAULTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 49, 26 February 1918, Page 4

ROBBED AND ASSAULTED

MAN FOUND IN TARPAULIN. SERIOUS INJURY TO HEAD. WANGANUI, Feb. -24.: man named Spice, -who is belie< ed to have come up from Awapuni to: attend' the Wanganui races, was brutally assaulted last night in the vicinity- of the town wharf. At a,bout 5 a.m; today some men who were employed in the wharf sheds, were moving some •trucks, when it was noticed th&t one of the Railways Department's-' tarpaulins used for covering merchandise had 'been unfolded, and- was apparently wrapped round' som© -object. On investigation-, it was fbuod- to coiitam a man, whos 6 clotting was soakec.' in. blood. H e was unconscious, and .hud & gaping wound' on the left side -of Ilia head, andi his face was ba&y rflut'. The police and a doctor were.-call'ed, and a little later the man regained consciousness. He', said) the. remembered was beiiig at the. fir e. .at Foster's Hotel, about nine d'clo.ck last mght/ ; /He left ■ there, and. proceeded to walk l - towards ihe t Town Bridge. He was by .two 'men, one of -whom; ■ hq> alleged, . held •. him down wltile the other, robbed him. That was all' he remembered. His watch, money, and .. even his boots were taken byi his attackers. .He is at <preV sent an inmate of- the hospital,; .'Attji. his- condition' is serious, as he lias'.lost a considerable amount of blood,