SOUTH AFRICA’S PERILS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1021, 25 July 1911, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICA’S PERILS.

NATIVE OUTRAGE AT PORT ELIZABETH. On the evening of May nth, the most dastardly outrage which has ever occurred in Port Elizabeth was committed in the vicinity of Clevedon road by a Kaffir, the victim being a young lady, who is employed as a typist by a prominent electrical engineering firm in town. The account in the Cape Times states that the young lady, who is eighteen years of age, returned from business shortly after six o’clock, and after spending a few minutes in her home, decided to visit a friend, in Clevedon road, some 200 yards away. She went along the path which crosses the piece of vacant ground between Albany road and Clevedon road, and when about halfway across saw a Kaffir standing on the footpath leaning on his stick. When

she was about a yard away from him she tripped on a small stone. He turned round and asked her to give him sixpence. She attempted to pass on, and he repeated his demand. Terrified at his demeanour, the girl started to run in the direction of Clevedon road, but stepped into a bole, and fell heavily, face downwards. The Kaffir threw himself upon her, seized her roughly, turned her over, and buried his fingers in her throat. The unfortunate girl tried to scream for help, but was prevented from doing so by her assailant’s grasp of her neck. She struggled pluckily, and attempted to clutch him by the throat, but, owing so the fact that she was wearing gloves, she was unable to obtain a grip. She kicked him several times, and he staggered back irom her. Again, however, he threw himself upon her, and cried, “ Shall I kill you now?” The girl, too exhausted to struggle further, said, “Yes, kill me.” Then he bit her furiously on the face, and the girl must have lost consciousness, remembering nothing further until the native rose and made off in the direction of Albany road. A pedestrian passed a few moments later, and the girl asked him to catch the Kaffir. He started off in the direction taken by the miscreant. It was at this moment that a gentleman returning home from business appeared on the scene. His story is as follows;—

“About 6.30 on Thursday evening, I was walking across the green to Cleveland road, when a native passed me, being chased by another native. They were about tweuty-five yards apart- Thinking it was nothing more than an ordinary scrap I took no notice of them, although the pursuer called to me to stop him. When I got farther along the path, I came across a young lady lying on the grass with her face horribly mutilated. It at once dawned on me that the native had something to do with the business. I knew who the young lady was, and my first thought was to get her home. I immediately telephoned for the doctor and called the police.” The miscreant ran into Albany road and along a passage which leads in to the back yards of the houses in Charmouth terrace. Here his passage was blocked by a gate, which he attempted to scale. He had only reached the top of the gate, however, when the occupant, ignorant of the terrible affair, and thinking the native was on a pilfering expedition, shouted at him, and he decamped. Retracing his way, the Kaffir came back into Albany road. That was the last time he was seen on the Thursday night. The victim of the outrage is very seriously injured. There are six savage bites on the right and five on the left side of her face. She received a blow on the right eye, as a result of which the eye is very much discoloured and badly bloodshot. In addition to this, the bridge of her nose is bruised, while the flesh is torn away from her throat, the marks of finger nails being distinctly visible. The ring and middle fingers of her left hand bear the marks of teeth, the nails being blackened. Her body bore traces of the utmost violence.

The native, it is said, is employed by one of the local firms, and appeared at work late the next morning with a cut on his nose. He stated that he had fallen among some broken glass, and asked his employer for a piece of sticking plaster. While the latter was going to fetch the plaster the native disappeared. Later on a native named John Msizi was arrested at Hankey in connection with the outrage, and was brought before a magistrate. In order to prevent any disturbance, the accused was brought as far as Hume wood by train, and then marched to Port Elizabeth police station. A large number of people went down to the terminus station of the Avontuur Railway, and when the train came in without the prisoner they hurried to Humewood road. They caught sight of him, and made a rush, and for a minute or two things looked ugly, but the police escort succeeded in getting their man to the station in safety. When charged, Msizi said that he had never been to Port Elizabeth, and had walked to Hankey from Uitenhage, where he had recently arrived trom Kimberley. Bloodstains were found on his clothing. Only evidence of arrest was taken, and in reply to the charge the accused said, “ Baas, I don’t know that girl.” Accused was remanded.