AN OTAKI SENSATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2645, 13 October 1923, Page 2

AN OTAKI SENSATION.

GIRL CHLOROFORMED IN SLEEP. SUSPECT ARRESTED. Between two and two-thirty o’clock on Tuesday morning two veiling women, Misses M. Pa rat a, :ii,d F. Collerill, occupying the xime bedroom in the Beach Kiosk | Otaki, were disturbed in their -Jeep. ,\ man entered the room through a window, and, il is alleged, chloroformed Miss Parala and pul his hand over Miss Cnt.terill’s fa.ee and then caught her by Ihe throat. She wriggled from his grasp end fell out of bed and screamed an ala mi.

The man escaped through the door out into the open. As il was dark the girls were unable to see who the intruder was. Both girls had to receive medical attention, when it was found that they were suffering more or less fropi shock, Miss Cotterill having marks of violence on her neck. At Otaki on Wednesday afternoon, at about 12.15 o'clock, Detective-Sergeant Quirke and Detective Holmes arrested a young man named George Ayres, aged 23 years, on a charge of breaking and entering premises with intent to commit a crime, and also with causing Miss Parata to be affected with chloroform. He appeared at the Otaki Police Court yesterday, and was remanded to appear at Otaki on October 18. It is said that up to recently accused was engaged to Miss Cotterell, but that the engagement had been broken off a short time before. Ayre is a motor driver and mechanic, and was employed in a garage at Otaki, and subsequently at Wellington, where he is also well known.