THE WAIMATUKU OUTRAGE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1086, 23 March 1883, Page 3

THE WAIMATUKU OUTRAGE.

Charles Sullivan, the perpretotor of the criminal assault on Alice Norton, a girl of 13 years, was captured last week ry Detective ride. That officer had been scouring the district in all directions since the date on which information of the outrage was received, and on March 11 th was apprised of the particulars. Acting on this ho proceeded to search Ryal Bush and its vicinity for traces of Sullivan. He visited every house in the settlement but without gleaning any further clue, and then turned his attention in the direction of tho plains between the bush and the Oreti. Three unoccupied houses stand on the road to Mr Patterson’s, and also belong to him, and two of these wera searched without result The third the officer found locked up, and the window-doors nailed. On peering through the glass the rooms gave every indication of being untenanted. The officer, however, knowing into what a small compass a fugitive from justice can screw himself, and noticing something like a sack close under the window, determined to satisfy himself on the point, and smashing one of the panes of gla a s, thrust in his head and discovered Sullivan lying crouched beneath the window. On being called on to surrender, he did so, and was brought to town and lodged in the look-up. The particulars of the outiage are that on Friday, the 2nd mst, Sullivan, who had been working for Mr Brooks for some time previously, obtained his wages from him and came into town On the following morning he returned, and on the road passed Mr Brooks, who was on horseback. On reaching Brooks's place he asked Mrs Brooks fora drink of milk, and she directed the girl Alice to give him one. The girl proceeded to the dairy, and Sullivan followed her and locked the door on her. He then went to his sleeping place in the loft for a rope, his intention apparently being to render Mrs Brooks unable to resist his fiennish intent by tying her. The girl, however, on finding herself looked in, commenced screaming, and Mrs Brooks went and released her. At this point Suliivan appeared with the rope and attempted to seize Mrs Brooks, but she eluded his grasp and fled; the girl also running away in an opposite direction. Sullivan followed and overtook her, and perpetrated the foul deed. Mrs Brooks, it appears, fled in the direction of Mr Boyd’s, a neighbouring farmer, and on the road met first a ploughman employed there, named M‘Masters, and then Mr Chambers, Venetian blind maker of this town, who are visiting the district. On learning from her what had occurred, both proceeded in the direction in which the girl had gone. M‘Masters came up to the spot as Sullivan was leaving his victim, and Sullivan seeing him drew a knife and threatened to murder him if he tried to take him. Mr Chambers arrived a few seconds later, but the poor girl clung so tightly both to him and M'Masters that before they could do any dung Sullivan had p unge 1 into the hush which was close by. Tiie two men, deeming it impossible that he could escape, and considering that the girl could not be left in the exhausted state in which she was, did not attempt to follow. The accused does not deny his guilt, and stated that after committing the offence he went a couple of miles away and then hid himself in the tussocks. He slept there that night, and lay concealed all day ; on Sunday night commenced walking in no particular direction. He skulked about till Tuesday, when, becoming exhausted, he went to Patterson’s and obtained food and lodging, leaving on Wednesday morning. Want of food made him return to Patterson’s on Friday, and on Saturday he obtained food from a Mrs Benson on Mr Sutton’s farm. The rain on Sunday night caused him to seek shelter in the place in which he was captured He sates that his name is not Sullivan but Purnell, the former being his mother’s maiden name ; that he was bom in Ireland, brought up in America, and arrived at the Bluff in the Adamant, from which vessel he deserted in June last.