ATTEMPTED ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE.

Shannon News, 19 October 1926, Page 3

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE.

MAN ATTACKED IN; BED AT MIRANUI. MASKED ASSAILANT DRIVEN OFF A sensational occurence is reported from the big mill at 'Miranui.- On Thursday night about 9.30, Mr. M. Fitzsimmon, one of the flaxworkers, was lying in bed in his room at the men’s quarters at the main camp, when the door opened and a man came in and walked to the bead of the bed. The intruder had bis face masked with a cloth, and he demanded nion -ey from Mr Eitzsimmo'n. Upon the latter refusing the request tbe intruder grabbed him by the throat and commenced to belabour him over the head with a slung-shot made of a pocket handkerchief in which ’a number of heavy stones were tied. Mr Fitzsimmion defended himself and called for .assistance. Other men Were in the sitting room but thinking that someone was. shout ing in his sleep, did not immediately respond. As the calls continued they rushed to the room. They found the vdetim: badly knocked about ana bleeding from'severe cuts over the eyes, his lips split and many bad bruises on the head. His assailant had bolted when he heard aid was. coming. , . . The victim was very severely battered, and ibut for the fortunate circumstance . that the handkerchief burst and let out the which were found in his room, his life would have been endangered. The stones are not of t?ie kind found near Miranui. and must have been brought from a distance. The man’s hat was' knocked off in the struggle and he left this behind. Tbe Shannon police were immediately notified and a search made for,,the assailant, who was supposed to 'have escaped into the swamp. ' AN! ARREST MADE. Yesterday morning a man named Neil .Sorensen Hansen was arrested at the Central Camp and charged with the assault. He had been discharged from ithe mill some days previously and was supposed to have left Miranui. He was. taken to Palmerston this morning, and will appear before the Court there. ■ /During the week he had been in Shannon where he was arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct and fined. Two charges of. Theft and one of assault with violence are now preferred against him.