A BRUTAL ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1924, Page 5

A BRUTAL ATTACK.

BATTERED AND ROBBED. INCIDENT IN SYDNEY. VICTIMS OF ROUGH GANG. John Hussey and Louis Attenborough, two young visitor* from the country, who are staying in Oxford Street, Paddington. will have unpleasant recollections of Christmas Evo in Sydney (says a Sydney newspaper). They were victims of a savage attack at the intersection of Bourke and Phelps Streets. Darlinghurst, at 9 p.m.. and were kicked into insensibility and robbed. The intervention of some women saved them from an even worse fate. The visitore were walking down Bourke Street on the way home when they were approached by a young man vho asked for some money, and their account of the subsequent happenings reads more likp the old ‘mob" days than modern Sydney. •Give Us Is 3d for a feed, mate,” was the demand that halted them at the intersection of Phelps Street. Both strangers stepped back, refusing to meet the request. This refusal was the signal for a peculiar whistle from the youth who had approached them, and. like ho many ghouls, about a dozen other young men appeared suddenly from the shadows nearby. Without .saying anything, the “mob” at once attacked the two stranger*, who f< ught back, but were noon overwhelmed. Well-placed blows sent them to the ground, where they were kicked into insensibilitv.

'While they lay there the gang took the opportunity to go through the pockets of one of the men, stealing t!4 in notes. The other stranger had false teeth, and these were taken out and crushed on the ground in a spirit of wanton destruction.

The cowardly youth* were still kicking their victims when some women, their attention drawn by the sounds of the scuffle, stopped proceedings by the very force of their indignation. Both victims recovered while the women were arguing with the youths, and they sought refuge in a nearby fishstop, eventually reaching the Darlinghurst police station with blood steaming from their wound*. They were treated by a local medical man and were able to struggle home.

Constables Maher and Lawless, who set out immediately the report was made, have arrested a young man, alleged to be the leader of rhe gang. He has been charged with assault and robbery. The police state that there have been a number of similar attack* in the division during recent week*, the offenders being youths of between 17 and 20.