BRUTAL MURDER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 263, 6 November 1934, Page 6

BRUTAL MURDER

GREEK ATTACKED IN BED A R MED BI KGLAR, ’S CRI M E AI lacked by a burglar while he was sleeping above his restaurant, in Sydney, early one morning lately, Jack Nicholson, or Zaharia Nicholidakis, aged 34, was critically injured- He died in hospital some hours later without being able to give the police any clue to the identity of his assail* Nicholson. had been in ill-health for some months and retired early on the night before the assault. His chef, named Andrew Sparos, a Greek, slept in the room adjoining. Shortly after I a.m. Sparos was awakened by screams and groans, and, rushing into the cafe proprietor’s room, found Nicholson writ lung in. agony on bis bed, with blood pouring from a wound in his left temple. Be was semi-conscious, and moaning with pain. Bis bed was drenched with blood. The cook dashed down the passageway, flung open the window, and hailed a passing taxi-cab. The wireless night patrol was quickly summoned. an ambulance was called, and Nicholson was rushed to hospital. It was found that the injured man had been struck with some blunt instrument. probably a hammer or piece of pipe, smashing his skull and baring the brain. He was sinking rapidly, and a magistrate was summoned to his bedside to take his 'lying depositions, but the injured man spoke incoherently, and he died without giving any details ot how' he was attacked. Sparos -old the police that he had retired at 11.30 o'clock, and had slept very soundly. He was awakened by Nicholson's screams. The injured man had told him that he had disturbed a man in his room, and that the intruder had ferociously attacked him with the weapon he was carrying. Detectives found that the murderer had entered the premises through a gate in the laneway at the rear of the premises had clambered up a lean-to building’behind the shop, and had gained admittance to the first storey, on which the Greeks slept, by means of an open window. Then he had crept along the passage-way to Nicholson’s room, and had apparently been in the acti of rifling the Greek's pockets when he was disturbed. After attacking the cafe proprietor, he had escaped by the way he had entered, and the police found traces of h's nasty flight. He was seen only by bis victim. He secured about 22s from the room before decamping. Nicholson, who was bom in Greece, had been in Australia for many years, and is believed to be well known m Cootamundra, where he has relatives. He was a single man and became a naturalised British subject a few years ago.