MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 81, 31 December 1919, Page 8

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR

NEWTOWN SENSATION

CHINAMAN FOUND UNCONSCIOUS

LifING IN POOL OF BLOOD

A mysterious affair, involving what appears to have been a brutal assault with robbery as the motive, occurred in a Chinese greengrocer's shop at 200 Rintoul Street, near the corner of Luxford Street, on Monday night. Tho victim was 'an elderly Chinaman, named Kwong Young Lee, whose injuries were so severe that ho had to be removed to the Hospital for treatment. Leo's occupation of the shop extends over a period of about twelve months, during which time he. has lived alone. About 9 o'clock on Monday night lie was seen arranging the fruit m his window, and everything in the vicinit} then appeared to be, quiet. Some twentj minutes later a dhincse acquaintance visited tho shop, and knocked on the counter to attract Lees attention. Obtaining no response, he stamped loiullj on the floor, but failing to make Lee hear lie proceeded to a room behind tho shop to see if his friend were there. On enter'"" 'lie room he found Lee h-iii" on tho floor unconscious with his 'head in a pool of blood. The unfortunate Chinaman had evidently been sitting on n fruit ease, sorting fruit, for there, was an orange in Inswap. Jio Uas bleeding profusely from a large wound behind the right ear and.h s eyes were very black and swolLnj as f tbev had received a. severe blow, lne till in tho shop was wide open, and (nothing remained in it except a' few cop-, police were at once informed of tlie affair, and Dr. Lino was called in. "While the doctor was on his way to tho shop Lee recovered sufficiently to be able to, speak. He was unable a> yivn anv coherent account of "what had happened to him. and had no recollection of »i'.t?ring the premises, but he fancied that he must, have been attacked from behind. > far as he could remember the money in the till amounted to about .£4. After Br. Line had bandaged his-head, Lee was removed to the Hospital, but he wa? still considerably dazed when admitted ,to the institution On inquiry last night, it was ascertained that i.;? nnnditi"' inniToved e good deal jesterdav. and he was making very satisfactory nro?rcs« towards recovery. Bevmid the fact that, a claw hammer was found in-the room clo c n to whee he was l' - ing. there was nothing 'O indicate how the' Chinaman came bv the wound on his head. Alfhoiie'lM there., was no blood on the hammer, it is surmised that he may kr« been struck with this instrument. The Chinaman who came across T.eo lying in the back room states that when ho entered the shop he heard « cmi"-'"'- running away through the back door. At any rote the back,door was open. The affair caus"d finite a sensation in the neighbourhood.' where Lee is very well known. He is stated to,he, a, very ouie.t, inoffensive old man. not given to interferin* with nnvbpdy. It w sa 1( l that ho "o 1 ♦'Rom molestation bv la'Tikins.'and that on a recent occasion a man entered his shop, presented a Tetfilver. a"d demanded •£!. Tee refused to part with.this siim but the man bccame so threatening till at the Chinaman proffered him, half-a-crown, with which, the intruder was ialiairJ, and went away. . _ ... Lee has been in business in Wellington for about tlii'ty rears, a-1 at one time he resided at Karon: Before poto "Rintoul Street ihe kent a shoo in Willis Street. L T n to the nresent no clue has been obtained as to the ulontity of Lee's assailant. ——-