ATTACK ON CHINAMAN

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 497, 20 July 1932, Page 5

ATTACK ON CHINAMAN

TWO MEN CHARGED ALLEGED ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE WAS WOMAN IMPLICATED? Press Association, —Copyright. WELLINGTON, Today.—With his face still swollen and with cuts and bruises under the left eye, and his chin smothered in ointment. Ah Lai, a Chinaman, who was held up in his shop at Pirie Street last Friday night, gave a graphic description of the affair from the witness bex today, when Albert Ernest Clifton (24), a labourer, and Leonard Hum. phreys, a salesman, were charged with robbing him of £4, and at the same time using violence.

lie said ho was letting a woman out of the hack gate when the two men entered and pointed revolvers at him. They carried him into the kitchen and tied his hands behind his hack.

While they were doing this he commenced to call ;cnt and one hit him on the head with a revolver. They punched him about the face, then put him on the ground, tying a necktie round his mouth and face They made him '.urn reward the wall and when he tried to see who they were one of them punched him in the face again.

One stood guard over him while the other searched the premises. He heard one of them talking to a woman outside and when they left be could still hear them talking to the woman.

He could not distinguish the fea. cures of the men because they had black masks ou.

Compel and the pi'lice> came to grips in regard to whether the girl the Chinaman had let cut was concerned in the affair, counsel saying that if they thought she was a decoy thev should charge her. The police r;aid if they obtained evidence that she was connected with the offence they would charge her. The Chinaman said he wanted to let her cut the front door, but she asked to be let out the back. The uolice put in statements of admission by both accused, but both pleaded not guilty.

They were committed for trial