A PECULIAR OCCURRENCE.

Te Puke Times, Issue II, 11 May 1915, Page 2

A PECULIAR OCCURRENCE.

TRAGEDY OR COMEDY ? A peculiar affair, and one which would, no doubt, have delighted Sherlock Holmes to unravel, although he would probably have had no great difficulty in doing so, is reported as having happened on Saturday night. Constable Stackpoole, who had been on duty during the evening, proceeded home at about 11 o'clock, to obtain a coat, the night being chilly, intending to return, as a Maori dance was being held, and a little authority might be needed. On his way back to the hall, when passing the site where Messrs Wallace & Co's store stood, he heard a voice cail out "For God's sake come and untie my hands." Going in the direction of the voice, he found a man lying on the ground apparently unconscious. Both hands were tied behind his back, his feet were tied, and his pockets were turned inside out. The constable at once hastened off to obtain a knife to cut the bonds, and aiso obtained the assistance of two or threfi men. Between them they carried the man, who turned out to be | Frank Fox, a man in the employ i of MrG. Weston, to Mr Dunlop's, where he had been stopping. From the time that he was found by Constable Stackpoole lie had never uttered a word, and appeared to be absolutely unconscious, with the exception that as he was lifted up the rise from the footpath to Mr Dunlop's his feet appeared to bo feeling the ground. Dr McFarlane was at once sent for, and made a thorough examination of the victim, but could find no trace whatever his having been assaulted, whilst his pulse was perfectly normal. There was a slight abrasion on one cheek, and a little blood round one nostril, but only such as could he canned by a slight scratch. On Sunday the doctor made a further examination, with the same result. To the Constable. Fox made the statement that on Saturday evening lie went to his lodgings about !) o'clock to get some money to pay Mr Ki-ownlee, but as the latter was busy, he did not go into the shon. He thou went round to the chair house (Wallace & Go's stables) to see if the door was shut, and on coining back was passing the willow tree near the road when he was struck down, and all he remembered was a knee pressing on his stomach. No on .• knew he was going home for money, and he suspected no one, This is the gist of the occurrence. There are two or three little peculiarities in connection' with the incident, which, as we said before, would, no doubt, be easily unravelled by Conan Doyle's famous detective. One is that according to the victim, his assailants struck him down beneath the willow tree near the road. Why then did they carry him to Mr Kerr's fence., where he was found by the constable ? Secondly, why did the desperadoes, after having stunned their victim, find it neces sa r y to tie him hand and foot. Again, Mr Geo. Weston visited his chaff-house at about 10 o'clock' and found Fox lying there apparently asleep and unharmed. lie was not disturbed. as Mr Weston thought he might have had a drink or two. When examined by the doctor there was no trace of drink on the man. We leave our readers to place their own construction on the affair.