SENSATIONAL HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 16 July 1919, Page 3

SENSATIONAL HIGHWA Y ROBBERY.

- .VICTIM BADLY KNOCKED ABOUI MR GEORGE WATSON ASSAULTED A sensational robbery with violene has been reported to the police at Pa merston North, tho victim being a wcl known Bovin resident. It appears tha about ' twenty past six on Saturda; evening a Palmerston North busines man and his -on were motoring tlirougl from Levin to Palmerston by w r ay o: Foxton. When just jmst the racecoursi at Foxton they met another motor ca: going in tho opjiosito direction/ to wards Levin. The occupants of thi: car hailed them in passing and they accordingly stopped. One of the mer got out of the car and informed the two Palmerston residents that a little further up. the road they would find a man who had been robbed and assultcd. At the same time ho explained that ' they had been unable to pick him up, as the car in which his party was travelling was carrying the mails to Levin and it was fail up. Under the circumstances the two gentlemen from Palmerston wasted no time in resuming their iourney. About two miles further up tho road in the Himitangi district they came across a man lying on the footboard of /i motor car in a -somi-uneonscious condition, covered with blood, and presenting a .very battered appearance. After considerable difficulty they succeeded in rpusing him, and in a conversation which was frequently interrupted on account of his lapsing into unconsciousness, they learnt that he had been assaulted and robbed on the road. The injured man, who was in a helpless condition, turned out to be Mr G. Watson, ex-chainnau of tho • County .Council of Levin , Mr Watson dis- ! closed the fact that he had been made 1 tbe victim of an amazing outrage. It l was that ho had left Palmerston North qt 3.30 p.m. that day on his return jour- j ney home. While still on the Palmer- ) •ston side of Foxton—about Himitangi J .—liis car developed engine trouble, on account of it becoming overheated. He 1 gulled up on. the road', and was on- I dcavouring to remedy the trouble when I two men riding one behuict the other on a motor cycle rode up from behind. They stopped alongside of him, and one of them asked, “What is the matter, bid man 3“ Mr Watson explained the nature of his trouble, and they volun- j Jeered assistance, which he naturally i accepted. They could not succeed in j 'getting the car to start, and wliilo Mr j Watson was bending down over the j engine he received a severe blow on the I head from some unknown quarter. He , immediately looked up, and at tho *riiic [ Instant one of the two men hit him a severe blow between the eyes, render-

ing him unconscious. When he came to his senses lie found himself bleeding profusely and minus his watch and £ls in cash. His two assailants were nowhere , to be seen. Shortly afterwards he remembered being lifted from the ground and placed on the running-board of his ear, with his head resting on the dashboard, presumably by the occupants of the mail Car previously referred to. The two Palmerston gentlemen conveyed Mr Watson io Palmerston, where he received medical attention. Subsequently they motored him to his home at Levin, where ho now lies, suffering from a broken nose, a cut on hi* head, two badly bruised eyes, and a slight concussion. It is interesting to note that,' Mr Watson’s story'as to Ids assailants is Verified in one important particular by ■tho two Palmerston residents referred to. It appears that a short time before they were hailed by the occupants of ;tho mail car, they were nearly run into hv two men on a motor cycle travelling ilt the rate of about 40 miles an hour and going in the direction of Levin. .They surmise that this was within half an hour of the assault and robbery, Which tallies with the account of the allair given by Mr Watson. • Incidentlv Mr Watson states that While tho two. men were strangers to him, he is of the opinion that he would recognise one of them ii he saw him figain.— ‘' Palmerston Standard. ’ ’