ONSET ON TWO SPECIALS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1898, 5 November 1913, Page 6

ONSET ON TWO SPECIALS.

SAVAGE ENCOUNTER.

IN TORY STREET YESTERDAY.

Two special . constables who' camo 'through the linos from Buckle Street barracks into Tory Street yesterday afternoon, short] 3* after three o'clock on their way into the City- were badly handled by a number of men who were loitering in the_ vicinity of. Vivian Street. TJi© special mo,i whose riding leggings plainly lespoke tfcoir identity woro just opposite Haining Street when a labouring man, who carried a stout cudgel, ran up behind them, and seized one of the specials, a tall lathybuilt fellow, by .the shoulder. - Placing himself in front of the special m<in, so as to bar their progress, tho labourer proffered some requests which were civilly replied to, but apparently the answer was not to liis liking, as ho immediately tackled one of the constables and nearly upended him. ' "Takg His Revolver From Hlml" Then across tho road a number of other men came running, with cries of: "Take his revolver from him I" The •constables stood their ground momentarily. but soon the odds began to tell, and they got separated, one. being driven into a gateway, down a house pathway. The constablo still remaining in the street vas overponercd, and searched to eeo if ho iwssessed any firearm. No weapon being found he was subjected to further roughing by his assailants, but at last managed to break away towards the barracks. J His progress was barred overy fow yards, though, by fresh attackers, who punched and kicked at him in his flight. Hand-to-hand Encjunter. Meanwhile his comrade was engaged in a etrenuous hand-to-hand encounter in tho alleyway, and was fairly holding his own. With the escape of his fellow trooper the full force of the attack was turned on him, and he was hustled out into the roadway again. Ho sought refuge in a shop doorway, but so fierce and strenuous wero t'ho blows that lio could perforce do no more than protect his face with his hands. Weight and numbers quickly overcame him, and he was hurled to the pavement, and as ho lay there lie was savagely kicked in the ribs and other parts of the body. "Down with' the 'scab!'" was the cry aB the now semi-conscious man tried to rise, with a pitiful appeal on his lips for mercy. His attackers were, however, not tempering their actions with mercy, and with battered and bleeding face the now thoroughly distressed constable was bomicod up against one shop verandah post, only to collapso at tho foot of another. 110 was searched, and it was stated that a revolver had beon taken as booty.

Thero was 110 sign of police assistance coming, although t!ho affray had now lasted many minutes within sight' of tho guard >f permanent men at Mount Cook, at which point the escaped constable had ero tnis reported tlio occurrence. Enter—A PluoUy Tradesman. What the upshot mig'ht have been can only bo conjectured, but as the assaulted man's plight seemed to bo full of the most oxtrc-mo peril a tradesman of the street came running up and pluckily seized hold of the fallen constable. Tho attackers, seeming satisfied with their part in tho affray, now lot up, and tho tradesman _ shepherded tho injured man, who was just ablo to stagger, and was bleeding profusely, up Tory Street till ho mot a uniformed constable, who took tho special man in c'hargo and escorted him once more witliin itho lines. To eyo-witnosses whose main present concern is the preservation of law Und order, tho affair was a startling evidenco of tho state into which the City is drifting.

Posse Clears tho Street, ShorUx ifterjurda thaw jr« soma.

turmoil in Taranalci Street at the Royal Tiger Hotel corner. Hero throughout tho afternoon a considerable body of men woro congregated. A taxicab waiting outsido was tho centre of attention, and as the driver and a man woro about to enter tllio vehicle, they were hustled, nnd one of them fell. For a. moment an element of danger was threatening as the mob rushed tho car, but a posso of mounted police at onco rodo up and cleared the way.