A BRUTAL ASSAULT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10684, 3 February 1913, Page 2

A BRUTAL ASSAULT.

SENSATIONAL OCCURRENCE AT OTAHUHU.

HUSBAND ATTACKS HIS WIFE.

AFTERWARDS TAKES LYSOL. [Pee Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 2

A sensational occurrence took place at Otahuhu, nine miles from Auckland, early. yesterday morning, as the result of which a railway worker named Charles John Mahpn, aged fifty years, lies poisoned with lysol beyond hope of recovery, while his wife is suffering from serious wounds on the head, said to have been inflicted by Mahon with a hammer. The couple have been living apart for six months, and Mrs Mahon returned to her home on after staying with her widowed mother at Takapuna. From investigations made by a newspaper representative, it seemed that in July last some ill feeling crept into the relations existing between man and wife, the former being angry at the frequent visits to his home of a certain young man. Mrs Mahon is understood to have resented hef husband's reproof so much that she immediately left him and went to live with her mother. She states, however, that upon returning her husband received her kindly. According to further statements of the injured woman, she retired at the usual time. A little later her husband also retired, but. he was restless, arid, getting out again, he partly dressed himself. Then, leaving the house, he went .into an adjoining paddock. As he did not return, Mrs Mahon went to sleep with her little son in another bedroom. After being asleep-for some time, she awoke and heard her husband entering the bedroom. He was without a light. No word was spoken, but instead four violent blows were levelled at her head with some heavy instrument, whioh Mrs Mahon took to be a hammer. Of such brutal force were the blows that the unfortunate woman lapsed into a state of unconsciousness. When she revived, Mahon was striking a match, and she supposed that he must have seen the bed stained with blood, for he exclaimed, "Oh,- Eva!" and then rushed away. Mahon must then have gone into the kitchen, and gulped down a quantity of lysol from a bottle which, was in the house. He was found in a serious state of collapse by his wife, who had recovered sufficiently to leave her room. It was still early morning, and, to the best of Mrs Mahon's belief, the assault roust'have occurred between two and three o'clook. Dr MacDonakl was called in later, and the stomach pump was used and a restorative anplied, hut the man is not ©3> pected to live. Mahon bears a good character from the residents of Otahuhu, who state that they have always regarded him as a hard-working and inoffensive man.