OTAKI SENSATION

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11649, 13 October 1923, Page 4

OTAKI SENSATION

A SERIOUS CHARGE ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO CHLOROFORM A GIRL. HOUSE ENTERED BY NIGHT. (Special to “X.Z. Times.”) OTAKI, October 12. A daring attempt to commit a serf* ous crime was, it is alleged, made during the early hours of the morning by a man. At tfie residence of Mr and Mrs Cotterell, who have a tea kiosk, there are two young ladies, Misses Cotterell (a daughter of the proprietors) and Parata, who is employed at the kiosk. Both girls occupy the same room, and there is a fanlight at the side of the house. It is alleged that while Misses Cotterell and Parata were asleep a man effected an entrance by means of the fanlight and made his way to the bedroom of the young women. MISS PARATA CHLOROFORMED. Here, it is stated, a serious attack was made upon both girls. The intruder, it is alleged, applied a handkerchief saturated with chloroform to Miss Parata’s face, and despite her struggles, succeeded in rendering her powerless by means of the anaesthetic. Having disposed of Miss Parata, the man then turned his attention to Miss Cotterell. It is that he caught the girl round the neck, and held her. Miss Cotterell. thus rudely awakened, straggled with the intruder, and screamed loudly for help. By this time the alarm had been given, though Miss Cotterell, who had succeeded in fighting off her assailant, was almost in a state of collapse. AN ARREST MADE. The police were at once informed, and as a result a man named George Ayre was apprehended. Ayre is well known locally, and when the news of his arrest and of the allegations against him reached the cars of the public, there was a sensation. Ayre is a motor driver and mechanic, and was employed in a garage at Otaki and subsequently at Wellington, where he is also well known. AT THE POLICE COURT ACCUSED REMANDED : BAIL REFUSED. Ayre, a well-known local resident, was arrested at Otaki on Wednesday morning by Detectives Quirks and Holmes, and in the afternoon, before Mr J. R. Bills, J.P., was charged:— (1) That he did unlawfully enter a dwcllinghouse at night, to wit, the kiosk, with intent to commit a crime. (2) That on or about October 9th, with intent to commit or to facilitate a crime, he did cause a person, to wit, Margaret Parata, to be affected with chloroform. A remand till the 18th instant was asked for and granted. Bail was refused. It is said that up to recently accused was engaged "to Miss Cotterell, but that the engagement had been broken off a short time bofore.