BRUTAL ASSAULT

Wairarapa Daily Times, 14 September 1936, Page 4

BRUTAL ASSAULT

COLLEGE MATRON ATTACKED. MAN HUNT BY POLICE. AUCKLAND, Sunday. The police are looking for a man who forced his way into Elgin House St. Cuthbert’s College, Epsom, early on Saturday evening, struggled violently with the matron, Miss Mary Price, and attempted to commit a grave assault upon her, as a result of which she had to be taken to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. She was badly bruised and cut about the face, and stitches had to be inserted in her mouth and forehead. A number of constables and detectives conducted a man hunt until two o’clock this morning, and right through to-day the search was continued. The story told by Miss Price to tlujipoliee is that, after visiting another pßct of the college she returned to Elgin Hpuse and went upstairs to her quarters at about seven o’clock to prepare for bed. She was about to get undressed when she heard a knock at the front door downstairs. She left her room, and wi(en she reached the lower floor she switched i on the outside light. The hall was] indarkness. When she opened the d&aS*she saw a man standing close to it, and apparently he was only partly clothed. Miss Price, said she sensed from the man’s attitude that there was something wrong, and she attempted to close the door, but he thrust a foot forward and forced his way into the hall. Once there he hit her in the face and savagely attacked her. They struggled there for some minutes, until at length Miss Price managed to free herself and climb the stairs. Her assailant followed and again attempted to assault her, striking her repeatedly about the face and body. He suddenly desisted and hurriedly made his escape downstairs and out through the open doorway. Miss Price communicated with someone in another part of the college. Dr. Borrie was summoned, and peered her into hospital. Constables wp: Newmarket searched the which the college is situated, and detectives from the Central Station began their investigations. No arrest has so far been made. Miss Price was recently appointed to the position of Matron at St. Cuthbert’s College, and she went into residence on Friday night. —(P.A.) Miss Price was recently matron of the St. Matthew’s Collegiate School for Girls, Masterton.