A Dastardly Outrage.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8607, 11 March 1897, Page 4

A Dastardly Outrage.

The Te Awarmttu correspondent of the Waikato Argus writes as follows:— A dastardly case of indecent assault was perpetrated at Te Awamuta on noon on Saturday last. It appears that a young girl, a few months over s. 13 years of age, a daughter of one of A the platelayers, working on the Te ¥] Awamutu-Otorohanga Section, was sent W< by her parents to obtain some goods from one of the shops up in the towuship whi#h is about aiinile o&V -While the ' unfortunate girl was returning home she was met half way between the 'township and the railway station by a strange man who attempted to commit a-rape oßßer,-;He first offered

the child five shillings and she became frightened and asked him to let her go as she wanted to get home, but he took no notice and said that he would give her ten shillings. Thereupon he threw the five shillings into her basket and managed to get the girl into the ditch by the road side, where she was somewhat knocked about. To prevent her from screaming out he placed his hand over her mouth and threatened to kill her should she make any noise and made her promise not tell any one, and said that if she made the least noise he would kill her and then himself. On hearing the noise of a waggon the ruffian made off into a large paddock of furze in the Ohaupo direction without effecting his purpose. Constables Jones and Carroll, along with some of the platelayers, were soon on the track, and after three hours' search Constable Jones succeeded in catching him making his way through the township. "When arrested he gave his name as Henderson. He is a stout built man and about thirty to thirty-five years of age. Luckily for him that the police were the first to get him, for, no doubt, had the gang of burly looking platelayers come across the scoundrel he would have suffered considerably. Doctor Pairman was called in to attend the girl, who was in a verylow state for a few hours, but she is now, we are glad to hear, fully recovered.