A MAD CHINAMAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1404, 26 January 1899, Page 24

A MAD CHINAMAN.

- MURDEROUS ATTACK ON A FELLOW COUNTRYMAN. Last week several Melbourne police went to a market garden to arrest a Chinese (Soon Ho) on a charge of madness. A compatriot named Ah Foon was sent int.o the house to prepare the way. Presently the sound of scuffling caused another gardener to rush in, and the screaming the pair set up hastened the movements of the constables. When Constable Kane burst into the room, Soon Ho’s grip upon the throat of Ah Foon was rapidly squeezing the life out of him; his tongue was prutr iding, and he was black in the face. The constable lifted the assailant bodily off his intended victim, but so tenacious was his hold that the other man was also ra sed up, still gripped by the throat. Whilst this was being done the would-be murderer was fumbling in one of his pockets with his disengaged hand for a knife; but before he could do anything he war, overpowered. During the struggle lie fought like a madman, and injured Constable Holland’s hand by biting it. It ' took the combined efforts of the two constables and two civilians to get. him into the cab, and on the way to the lock-up he fought with the ferocity of a tiger, smashing the cab windows. On being searched, a mur-derous-looking spring bowie knife, with a blade five inches long, and an edge as keen as a razor, was found upon him. A further search of the house disclosed that he had prepared himself for a siege. In the room adjoining where the struggle took place there were laid out upon a table a six-chambered revolver and a box of cart-

ridges, Beveral carpenters’ chisels, with their handles placed in a convenient position for rapid use, a long-handled fork and a tomahawk. From this room he could watch through the window anyone approaching the house, and would have had ample time to prepare a warm reception, as the house is about 200 yards from the road. Outside the house, at a spot where the man was struggling when being arrested, another large knife, with a spring which prevented it from closing, was found. The blade was four inches long, and had been sharpened until the edge was keen enough to split a hair.