BRUTAL ASSAULT ATARATAPU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7559, 11 February 1886, Page 5

BRUTAL ASSAULT ATARATAPU.

Oor Aratapu correspondent on Februarys

writes as follows A disgraceful scene occurred in Aratapu last week. A young woman, some months ago, joined her parents here, leaving her husband in England. The young woman has supported herself since arrival, but paid occasional visits to her parents. She formed an acquaintance with a young man, and they often appeared together in public. A day or two ago it became known that the two were going to Auckland together. A few hours before the intended departure, the father and a married brother of the young woman sought out tho young man, and, finding him in a boardinghouse, at once attaoked him, the father, it is alleged, holding him while the son, it is said, kicked the unfortunate fellow in a moat brutal manner. The lover broke loose from the father's hold, and rushed out of the house, followed by the two assailants and the young woman. The girl, in order to save her lover, stepped between him and her enraged relatives, crying, "Save him! Save him I" Her shrieks brought many persons ou to the scene, most of whom thought that some one was drowning in the river. Hor efforts to prevent a further attack were useless, for her brother brutally struck her, and knocked her senseless, seeing which another lady went off into hysterics. In spite of this the attack was renewed. How long this would have continued, or what state tho young fellow would have been left in, it is hard to say, had not the bystanders interfered and put a stop to it. The affair happened about an hour before midnight, and a few hours after the young woman and her bruised lover departed by steamer,