AN EXCITING STRUGGLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19929, 24 April 1928, Page 12

AN EXCITING STRUGGLE.

EARLY MORNING EPISODE. MAN LOOKS THROUGH WINDOW. CAUGHT BY SIR C. STATHAM. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] DUNEDIN, Monday. The Speaker of the House of Representatives was a prominent actor in 1111 exciting struggle at an early hour on Sunday morning, the story of which was told in tho Police Court before Mr. Bundle, S.M., to-day, when William Henry Reay, a Dunedin signwriter, was charged with being found without lawful excuse in the enclosed yard of No. 2, Hawthorne Avenue.

Chief Detective Cameron said that while Miss Stat ham, daughter of Sir Charles Statham, was retiring to bed at 12.50 a.m. on Sunday, she noticed someone peering in the window from the shrubbery. She immediately informed her father, who ran out of the house, and was in time to catch a man, who turned out to be Reay, near his daughter's window. Sir Charles told Reay that ho would be handed over to tho police and seized him. A fierce struggle followed, and Sir Charles was dragged out through the gato and on to the avenue, where the two rolled over and over 011 the road. Miss Statham attempted to help her fathor, and after following tho two men out on to the road, dealt Reay several blows on the face, but he managed to break free. Sir Charles was not hurt. The chief detective pointed to several bruises and a cut on the face of the accused, stating that these had been received during tho struggle. Ho also produced a torn and mud-stained pair of trousers, which, he said, had been worn by the accused at the time.

" In his statement to the police," continued the chief detective, " the accused said ho had been drinking that day. He had been wandering I'ound the town belt, and could not remember anything until ho felt the girl striking him. Ho is a married man with ono child, and is employed as a signwriter. Apart from this affair we know nothing of Rim." The Magistrate (to the accused) : Have you anything to say ? The Accused: No, sir, only this, I had far too much drink. I was slipping and falling as I went across the field, and I remember nothing more until I came to my senses in the grounds of tho house with someone holding on to me. I did not know at that time that the house belonged to Sir Charles Statham. I have nothing to hide, and have not been in any other trouble in my life.

The chief detective said he would like lo mention that Sir Charles had stated that he did not detect any sign of liquor on the accused while he was struggling with him. The Accused: When I hoard tho word " police " in the garden I straightened up considerably. The magistrate ordered the police to detain Reay in custody urilTl Friday and have him medically examined by tho gaoT surgeon.