STRUGGLE IN DARK

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 221, 15 April 1933, Page 5

STRUGGLE IN DARK

Woman Catches Burglar CRIES BRING HELP Early Morning Incident Wellington, "1 o-day.—The frenzied cries of two women broke thp early morning silence of Palmer S'rcet on Thursday. The reason was that one of the women had caught a burglar. Almost the whole street was awakened, and four neighbours answered the cnlls for help and held the intruder down until the police arrived a few minutes later.

At about three o'clock in the morning Mrs. Mary Hyde, who is the widow of the late licensee of the Panama Hotel, was asleep in her room in the upper story of 26 Palmer Street when she was awakened by the sound of someone moving about on the floor below.

Many women would have shrieked out then, but Mrs. Hyde was undaunted ,and a plan of campaign quickly formed in her mind. She decided to wait until the intruder should come upstairs to her room. Entry Into Bedroom Mrs. Hyde had not long to wait, for after he had methodically gone through all the rooms on Ihe ground floor he climbed the stairs. Entering her room on hands and knees, he crawled over the carpeted floor and past the side of the -bed. In the meantime Mrs. Hyde, who had remained perfectly calm, jumped out of bed and dashed to He door, which had the key on the inside. She intended to lock the door, but as she fumbled with the key it fell out, of the latch and on to the floor. The noise drew the intruder's attc-orion to his predicament. The man rushed to the door, but Mrs. Hyde closed with him, Mid the two struggled out of the re a. and on to the landing. Mrs, ■ Mv:y -Kavauagh, mother of Mrs. Hyde, had also been' aroused, and as her daughter fought and wrestled with the burglar on the way down the stiuva-e, she went to her assistance. Finally the man was secured at the foot of the stairs.

It was only then, when the arduous part of the task was completed, that the women called for help, and their cries roused all Palmer Street. Sleepy-eyed residents of the neigh* bourhood opened thei windows and came to their doors. Three |r four men clad in pyjamas answered the summonses for aid and held the man down until the police, who had been telephoned by Mrs. Hyde, arrived. House in Darkness The whole struggle took place in complete darkness, as the burglar had pulled the fuses out of the electric light switchboard before beginning; his tour of the house. A little over a year ago the same house wis burgled, and on that occasion also Mrs. Hyde caught the intruder. When the light was restored after Thursday morning's occurrence she recognised the man as her visitor of a little over a year ago. It is understood that he had just completed his sentence.

The police found that the man. i win. had come equipped with rubber 1 gloves aud torch, had removed various j articles from the housw, including Mrs. Hyde's jewel case. He had gained I entrance by means of n ladder placed ! against r window. Palmer Street is a residential street of about 200 yards, turning off the top end of Willis Street and running parallel with Aro Street. A man appeared in the Police Court on Thursday morning on a charge of breaking and entering the house with intent to commit theft, and was remanded until April 19. Accused was William Frederick Garner, described as a hairdresser, aged 43. , \K,