GIRL ATTACKED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 31 March 1930, Page 5

GIRL ATTACKED

IN DARK RIGHT-OF-WAY

ASSAILANT USES AMMONIA

A DESPERATE STRUGGLE

(By Telegraph—Special to "Tho M*il"l AUCKLAND, 29th March.

Struggling desperately with a man who threw a clotfi soaked with ammonia over her head, a girl screamed for help in a right-of-way near Albert Park last night, and was in a. stato of collapse when help came and her assailant-made off. The victim of the outrage was Miss Leah Baker, aged about 18 years, a domestic employed by Mr W. J. Ralph in Princess street. She had been iu the city and about 10.30 p.m. walked up Bowen avenue. Instead of going round to the front entrance she decided to go along the right-of-way at the back of the Synagogue and a number of private residences in that part of Princes street. It was dark in the right-of-way, and when about half way up Miss Baker saw a man bending down as if ho were tying up his bootlaces. She took no notice of him and continued on. Just as she drew level the man sprang at. her and threw a cloth over her head. ■ She at once struggled and screamed loudly. The man held the cloth to her face and for a few minutes Miss Baker almost choked as the result of the fumes from the ammonia, which made her gasp for breath. She managed to free herself from the man, but ho again caught hold of her. Her piercing screams for help were heard all round the immediate neighbourhood, and the first to respond was a young woman, who at the moment was leaving the servants' quarters at MiRalph's house. She rushed into the lane and saw the struggling pair. The man then dashed away, and climbing over a motor garage at the rear of the adjoining premises made his escape into Albert Park. Miss Baker was found with her clothes torn, moaning, and crying bitterly. A message-was sent to the Auckland police headquarters, which are not more than 150 yards away, and a number of detectives wer*e soon on the spot. They could find no trace of the man responsible for the assault, but near the place Where the struggle had occurred detectives found a naif pint bottle containing a small quantity of ammonia. Miss Baker was put to bed, and this morning,.when seen by a "Star" representative, her lips and cheeks were painfully burned and swollen. She was in a highly nervous state as the result of her terrifying experience last night. She could not throw any further light on the attack, but said it was so swift as to take her completely by surprise. Ammonia has a characteristic pungent odour, a powerful caustic taste, and a stinging alkaline reaction. "A person can easily be suffocated by the application of too. much of the fluid pressed over the nostrils on a cloth," said a doctor this morning. "It also has a blinding effect on the eyes."