A SAVAGE ASSAULT

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12116, 18 April 1925, Page 11

A SAVAGE ASSAULT

ATTACK ON A WOMAN EXCITING SCENE IN AUCKLAND BROTHER CHARGED WITH CRIME (Special to "N.Z. Times.”) AUCKLAND, April 17. The quietness of Upper Queen street was rudely disturbed by an attack made on a young woman, Gertrude Best (20), a waitress, whose brother, Bertie Best (25), has been arrested and charged with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Screams and two fleeting figures attracted the notice of people in the neighbourhood of Alexandra street, and at first the disturbance was regarded as an ordinary brawl, ..but before the horrified eyes of a number of passers-by a frenzied attack with a razor was made hy the man, from whom the woman made a desperate attempt to escape. Before anyone could intervene the woman had been greviously wounded, and the pair lay prostrate on the pavement about 100 yards below Dixieland. Apparently the trouble started in the vicinity of Alexandra street, from which the woman rushed with her assailant in pursuit. He caught her at the Queen street intersection, but she broke away again, and was apparently attempting to reach her home, which k, situated in Marmion street, down in the gully behind the cabaret. A SECOND ATTACK When she was half-way between Alexandra andi Marmion streets the man seized her again and slashed her about the neck with the razor. Again she escaped, and, with blood streaming from her wounds, she sougfi. refuge in Queen street. Her assailant followed, and caught and threw her to the ground outside a shop. It was at this point, unfortunately* so late, that the spectators realised that the

woman’s life was at stake, hut before they could do anything both the figures in this terrible outrage had fallen to the ground in a pool of biood. On a passing tramcar was Sergeant Lambert, of the city police force, and he rushed through the little throng of spectators and took charge of the injured worn aw and her assailant. A motor-car was summoned, and both were placed in it, and all speed made to the hospital. A brief halt was made at Dr Murray’s, in Symonds street, and he deemed it advisable that the injured woman go post haste to the hospital. When admitted there she was found to be suffering from a deep gash down the left side of the neck from below the ear almost to the collarbone. Other evidences of the. frenzied assault were a cut on the right forearm, exposing the muscles, a gash from the front of the right ear to the mouth, exposing the cheekbone, and a cut on the front of the right wrist. These serious injuries were attended to, and Miss Best now lies at the institution in a critical condition. Her assailant was taken by the sergeant to the police station. A HORRIFYING SIGHT Before the pair were taken from Queen street hundreds of people had been attracted to the scene of the final assault, some of them being eye-wit-nesses of the actual wounding. It was a horrifying sight, and one woman fell prostrate in a faint, being removed to a house higher up the street. The iniured woman’s condition was so critical this morning that she could not he interviewed hy the police, and no motive is yet available for the terrible affair. The following morning Best, a young man of slight build, appeared before Mr J. W. Povnton. S.M.. at the Police Court, charged with wounding ' Gertrude Best, with intent to do j grievous bodily harm. He wore a heavv tweed overcoat, and bore a dis- ! hevolled appearance. He had a cut , on his left cheek. Chief Detective Cummings, in asking for a* remand until April 24th, stated that accused’s sister was in a critical condition, but was improvingMr Allan Moody, who appeared for accused, stated that hq would not apple for bail. V The remand was granted.