A SENSATIONAL INCIDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3071, 22 January 1913, Page 10

A SENSATIONAL INCIDENT.

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER. AN ENRAGED CHINAMAN. SCENE IN A RESTAURANT. AUCKLAND, January 15. Something of a sensation was created in an eating house in Queen street, above Wellesley street, known as “Waratah,” about 1 o’clock to-day, as an outcome of which the proprietor, a Chinaman named Tommy Kwai, was arrested. The story as given to an Auckland Star representative after the affair by a young woman on whose life an attempt is alleged to have been made, is that Kwai was in the kitchen when he suddenly became enraged, over some trifling thing she had done. He attempted to strike her, but the woman, whose name is Mrs Daughney, is particularly well built and she had uo trouble in holding her own with the infuriated Chinaman. After wrestling with her he retreated and then approached her again and kicked her on the hip. Another struggle took place and a kitchen hand named “Arthur” pulled the angry proprietor back. It was then thought that he had been soothed down a little, though it is alleged he was mumbling threats to go up stairs and get a revolver with which to shoot the girl. Then, the girl states, he suddenly seized a long butcher’s knife and sprang at her. Fortunately she saw him coming and pluckily closed with him, the blow intended for her passing right over her shoulder. Shouting “ I’ll kill you,” and cursing shrilly, the Chinaman is alleged to have again attempted to strike. Mrs Daughney threw her assailant back against the door. “It takes a good deal to frighten me,” she told the reporter, “ but I was scared this time. He was simply raving mad, and as I pushed him back against the door I jumped away and rushed along the passage-way of the dining room for the street. When I was about halfway across the room I heard somebody cry ‘ look out,’ and I heard the swish of the big knife which had been hurled at me. Fortunately it missed, but it nearly struck one of the other girls, and there was soon a hubbub for the police.” After the incident Kwai locked the door of the dining room and then ran upstairs and locked himself in his own room. He was there arrested by Constable Ryan and at once taken to the police station, where he was charged with assault and intent to do grievious harm. Kwai’s wife stated that her husband had been worried and upset mentally for some time, and that he was “ off his head ” when the incident happened this afternoon.