A SAVAGE ATTACK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19216, 4 January 1926, Page 10

A SAVAGE ATTACK.

ASSAULT UPON MOTORIST. MAN HE HAD GIVEN "LIFT." UNKNOWN ASSAILANT'S ESCAPE. Reluming home with his wifo in his car. Mr. Ben Watk-ins, of Hobart, Tasmania, gave a lift to a stranger dn the road. Tlio stranger climbed quietly into the back sent. He said he was very grateful. Not ten minutes later, however, ho sprang up, delivered smashing blows to Mr. and Mrs. Watkins, and then, scared by the woman's screams, dashed away into tho scrub as the car crashed into a fence. Tins only motive that can be advanced for tho attack is robbery. Both Mr. and Mrs. Watkins suffered from loss of blood and fihock, but after receiving treatment at hospital they were able to return home to the Ferntree Hotel. Mr. Watkins, when seen later, told this story:— " We were returning home about 10 o'clock, and, when going up the Huon Road, saw a man walking ahead. As there were only two of us in tho car, and my invariable practice is to pick up anybody if I have room, I stopped, asked him how far ho was going, and told him to jump ill. " He asked mo at first to take him to Strickland Avenue. But when wo got there he told me he wanted to go to a place further along tho road, as he was looking for work. "As wo were negotiating the worst curve on the road, about s a milo from Ferntree, I was struck on the head, and my wife screamed. " Tho man then struck my wife on the head. He hit me again, and I lost control of the car, and it crashed into the fence. He then jumped out and dashed off. "My wife and I were bleeding. I not in a fit state to follow him. Wo just had to let him go." " We met a car going toward Hob&rt," he said, " but the occupants declined to take us to hospital. However, they took us back to tho hotel, and a commercial traveller who was there drovo us at once to hospital." Thcro was a cruet in tho back of the car, £,nd tho impression is that this was the weapon the stranger used. Mrs. Watkins was hit fivo or six times. She got four cuts, but only one nasty one. She is suffering severely from shock. Mr. Watkins was struck about six times on this head and hand. Ho was afraid to let gc the wheel, because the spot was ono of tho most dangerous on tho Huon Road. There is a deep gully on tho lefthand side. " Fortunately," said Mr. Watkins, " I was not going fast. I slowed up as soon as I got the first bang. Had I been travelling fast nothing would have saved the threo of us. We would have gone down tho gully." Mr. Watkins added that there was a house in the gully, and when Mrs. Watkins screamed tho man apparently thought the inmates would hear, and so made off. Mr. Watkins did not see very much of his assailant, but described him as being about 30 years of age, and quite sober. Usually there is a light at the curve whoro tho attack was made, but ,it was not burning.