ROUGHLY HANDLED

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1933, Page 6

ROUGHLY HANDLED

MASKED YOUTHS’ OFFENCE

SEQUEL TO FRIENDS’ QUARREL.

(Per Presi Association — Copyright.)

CHRISTCHURCH, August 28.

An exciting affair is reported to have occurred at Kossmore Terrace, Cashmere, on Saturday night, when three masked youths waylaid a fourth youth. They dragged him into a shed and roughly handled him. Til'© parties are believed to have been friends, but they quarrelled. Subsequently two arrests were made.

A melodramatic touch' was lent to the incident by the fact that the assailants wore hoods that masked their heads and faces, and covered their shoulders, something after the style of habiliments worn by tlie Ku Klux Klan. Broad sashes tied round their waists completed the costume.

SEUEL TO ASSAULT.

FOUR YOUTHS INVOLVED

CHRISTCHURCH; August 28.

As a. sequel to a Cashmere assault, four youths faced the Magistrate, Mr Mosley,'this morning. Phillip Percival Sharp, 17, was charged with theft of six shillings the property of Thomas Allan Crawshaw. William • 'Joseph Hallins, 18, and Stanley. ThomavS Alien Crawshaw, 17, were jointly charged with assaulting Phillip Percival Sharp, and .-Norman Frederick Fletcher, 18, was charged with breaking and entering St. Mary’s Church, Merivale, on August 25 and committing theft. . . All accused were remanded to September five. The police said all were’ members of. a clique about which there was a suggestion of the Kelly gang or Klu Klux Klan. Sharp was assaulted for breaking the gang’s order. There were other charges pending of theft, breaking and entering, car 1 conversion, and Sharp was also involved in them.

After Sharp was bound and gagged, his assailants, 1 said the Chief Detective stuck a pin into him to see if lie . were dead or hot. ;' Then they made off. -M •’’* •