OUTRAGE IN GUY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10560, 10 April 1920, Page 7

OUTRAGE IN GUY

TWO WOMEN INJURED SUSPECTED MAN ARRESTED. OBJAROEiD WITH ATTEMPED MURDER.. Another sensation occurred in Wellington in the early hours of yesterday morning, and as a result a returned soldier, James Newberry, aged *1“ years, has - been apprehended °n a charge of attempted murder.

This was following on an outrage that was carried' out at 4 a.ra. m a cottage in Norman street, running on Aro -street- It appears that, <u about the hour stated Mrs Caroline Cooper, a widow, who resides with her mother, Mrs L. Skjoth, and sister Miss Annie CVristina Skjoth, was awakened by the sound of someone forcing an entrance into the scullery. Almost immediately afterwards, sho says, a man appeared in her room, and assaulted her' with a bar of iron. She screamed And the noise attracted her sister, who, with Mrs Skjoth, occupied a room immediately opposite. At tho sound ol Mias Skjoth’s approach the miscreant it is. alleged, turned and felled her to the ground unconscious, with a single blow on the head. However, sho quickly regained her senses, only to find her sister still screaming and being struck. At this moment, tho man made off, and Miss Skjoth then ■ought assistance from neighbours »nd communicated with the police. Dr. Begg was sent for, and he at once ordered the removal of the two ■ Women to the hospital, where it was ascertained that Mrs Cooper was sulfaring from severe scalp wounds, injuries to the arms, and -that some ol the fingers of her right hand, with which she had sought to protect, her head. Were broken. Miss Skjoth had sustained a severe scalp wound., . . . , Subsequently, certain mtormaudn was given to tho police,, and a diligent search for the suspected man resulted in Constables Scarry and Con]an locating him, at Spun., hiding in some scrub in the" Vicinity of the houfo. He was not wearing either hat or boots, and as ho had been out m tho severe weather conditions for upwards of 11 hours, he was, in a sorry plight. Apparently ingress to the house had been gamed as a result of a door or a window to the scullery being forced. After the assaults had been committed, both door and window wore found to be open, 'and a new chisel, tool by which an entrance could have been forced, was found on the floor, together with W pair of boots, said to be the property of the accused man. Newberry, it is said, had been on rather friendly terms with Mrs Cooper for some time past, but recently ehe resented his attentions. . The accused will be brought before the court this morning, but as neither of the women will be in a condition to give evidence a remand will be applied tor.