A Woman Stabbed.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1922, Page 1

A Woman Stabbed.

TONGUE TORN BY ASSAILANT

LONDON, September 20.

An extraordinary stabbing affray tools; place in Hyde Park yesterday afternoon.

About five o’clock Mrs Adeline Bles, a Belgian, who lives with lier mother at- 50, Cam bridge- terr ace, W., was walking between the police station in the centre of - the park and Victoria Gate when she noticed a man following her. He rushed towards here and stabbed lior many’ times about the head and upper part of the body. It is feared that one blow lias destroyed lior

right eye. She fell to the ground and lie snatched a handbag from her containing about £B. She screamed and her cries for help were heard by Police Constable Flint, wbo chased the man, past numbers of tsrrified women who were walking in the park, for a considerable distance and overtook him. Tlie man turned round and, it is alleged, stabbed the constable three times in the neck with a knife. One of the wounds was near the carotid artery, one of the chief arteries of the neck. SEARCH FOR MISSING MONEY. At that moment Police Constable Horne came up, just as the man was making another lunge at Flint. Horne struck tho assailant a heavy blow with his truncheon on the head and brought him to the ground, completely disabling him. Further assistance was obtained, and Mrs Bles, after having received first aid, was taken to St. George’s Hospital. She was unconscious.

The man, who had lacerated wounds on the hack of his head, was also taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition. He had not regained consciousness at a late hour last night. IP is described as a young man, fresli-com-plexioiied, and of good appearance. Mrs Blcs’s condition, although not dangerous is serious.

News of the attack was telephoned to Scotland Yard, and Superintendent Hawkins, one of the Big Four detectives, immediately motored to Hyde Park with a staff of officers and conducted a search for the missing handbag and money. These had not been recovered late last night. THE VICTIM’S STORY.

“From the little that my daughter is able to recall,” Mrs lllcs’s mother said it would appear that this afternoon at about five o’clock she rose from a seat in the park and within a few minutes was seized roughly from behind. She struggled to face her assailant, who began to stab her about the face and hoily with a knife. So furious was his attack that in liis efforts to stop her cries he tore her tongue in several places with his nails. Fighting hard, Adeline found it almost impossible to get a view of her assailant, who made the entire brutal attack from behind. 'From what she is able to tell me all this occurred while many people were in view.