BRUTAL AFFAIR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1741, 5 May 1913, Page 4

BRUTAL AFFAIR.

SHIP'S OFFICER'S NOSE IJITTEN. It is reported that a savago assault took place on board tlio Now Zealand Shipping Company's steamer ltuapeliu while she was at llobart, on route from Loudon to Wellington. A man, who, it is stated, was very muck under tho influence uf liquor, had been behaving badly on deck, and tome uf the passengers* and seamen endeavoured to pacify him, but tiieir attempts proved lutilo. At last the officers dccidod to put the man in irons. It was during this time that Mr. Cecil G. Tonge, chief officer, who was kneeling across tlio man, was brutaljv assaulted. lieiore lie could 1» prevented, tlio man sprang upwards and succeeded in biting a piece off Mr. Tonga's nose, lie also bit one of tlio chief officer's fingers, and another officer's hand. Jlr. Tongo was attended to by the ship s Burgeon, who found the injuries to bo rat her serio is. On arrival here Mr. Tongo was ordered to tlio Hospital for- further treatment. • As a result of tlio assault, tlio man (whose namo was Duffy) was charged at tlio llobnrt Polico Court next day with (1) committinp a common assault, and (2) with having damaged tlio ship's property. Defendant pleaded guilty to both charges, and was sentenced to two months' imprisonment oil oath. In passing the' maximum scnteneo on tlio first charge, tlio magistrate stated ho had never coino across a morp i>rUtui assault. •