ASSAULT ON A GIRL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 331, 29 April 1881, Page 2

ASSAULT ON A GIRL.

A Man Stabs his Sweetheart. (by telegraph.) Auckland, To-day. A tailor at Riverhead stabbed a young girl aged about 19 years, of prepossessing appearance, who had been on a visit to that place. Two railway porters and a stoker started off in pursuit oil the wouldbe murderer. They found him at a house giving the girl (whom he had a few hours befere tried to deprive of life) some some milk with a spoon. Upon being informed of the mission of the visitors, he immediately yielded himself up. On one of them remarking that he had no handcuffs nor anything to bind him, he said, “ Oh, I will go quietly with you ; there need be no apprehension on that account. ” He kept his word, and was brought to the station, and after being searched was allowed his liberty. He walked up and down the platform several hours, apparently quite unconcerned. While being searched by Waughton, a pen-knife was found. Upon observing it the accused said, “ That’s not the knife I did it with. Bradley lias it.” When arrested, he confessed to having committed the deed, saying, “ 1 stabbed the girl through love. Ross caused me to do it. ” The reasonable inference from these words is that he and Ross were rival suitors, and possibly thinhing Ross more favored, and prompted by jealousy, madly wreaked his vengeance on the object of liis affections, which was no sooner done than repented for. He was found quite mild and submissive, and feeding her like a baby. He further remarked, ‘ ‘ I know I shall bo hanged if the girl dies.” The young woman is stabbed m two places, and the sufferer’s condition is considered very serious.