"BOUND AND GAGGED."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17254, 2 September 1919, Page 8

"BOUND AND GAGGED."

YOUTH'S STRANGE PREDICAMENT. [from OTJB OWN correspondent.]

SYDNEY. Aug. 27.

On a recent Saturday morning the St. TCilda, Melbourne, police were informed that a youth was lying gagged and Bound in a near-by park. The constables found him well trussed up with a rope, a wooden gag in his mouth, and a handkerchief bound round his head, covering his eyes. When released the youth collapsed, and was taken to hospital, where he was unconscious for some hours. . In one of his boots was a small sum of money, near him in the park weje a bicycle, a bundle of clothes, and rough bed. I he police pieced an extraordinary story together. The boy, who was 19 years old, bad been at loggerheads with his parents' and on the Thursday he left his work got his clothes and ran away. He sought work, Wt unsuccessfully, and returned to Melbourne. His heart failed him, but he was afraid to return home and so slept in a shed. Then in desperation he went into the park and proceeded to emulate a picture film hero, who won his parents' pity by trussing himself up and posing as the victim of footpads. He did the job thoroughly, and lay down, waiting for someone io come and discover him and raise the loud alarm. No one came,«and he grew more and more uncomfortable. Then.he tried to release himself, and to his horror found he could not, He fought frantically and only succeeding in tying himself. more securely. Suffering intensely and half-throttled, he remained there until the following morning when he was discovered.