A MYSTERIOUS ATTAIN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 135, 10 February 1915, Page 5

A MYSTERIOUS ATTAIN.

MURDEROUS ATTACK OX YOUNG i WIFE. ' WOMAN IN CRITICAL CONDITION. j CHILD TAKEN FROM HOUSE. AUCKLAND, Feb. 9. News h?.3 just bsou received cf what appears to have been a murderous attack on Hip young wife of a sheep-farm-er at Onewhero, 50 miles south of A tickland. The woman, Edith Emma Keals, was brought into the Auckland Hospi- | tal this evening- in a critic al condition and an operation is now be; tig perform - ed for the removal of a bullet from her j bead. The woman is 21 years of age, and resided with her husband and ladyhelp, Alias Hunter, and three children, on a sheep farm seven miles from Onewhs ro in rough country. The nearest . neighbour is a mile away. Leslie Keals, ( the husband, left the house early yesterday morning to go droving, intending to be absent ail night. Nothing untoward happened during the day and the family retired at night as usual. Early this, morning Miss Hunter went to Mrs. Reals’ room, and was horrified to find ; her lying unconscious on her bed, which was bloodstained. She was bleeding from a bullet wound in the head, and her head and face wore also marked ! heavily as if from blows from a, piece j f; f wood, and a piece of wood bearing j bloodstains was afterward.- found in Ihe room. The two children, a girl i aged four and a boy aged two, were ! playing about in the room. An infant five weeks eld which had been in bed | with A!is. Reals, had 'completely disapi pea red, and nc trace of it has yet been found. Alias Hunter gave the alarm, and the police and medical aid were ■ summoned. The whole affair has many mysterious features. Airs. Reals’ infant and little boy occupied one room, the little girl occupied the next room, and Miss Hunter the room beyond that, and none of them appear to have heard anything during the night. None or the nc labours is able to throw any light on the | occurrence. The first the husband heard of the tragedy was when a mesj sengcr met him driving cattle near Tuekau, some J 5 miles from home, to which he was returning. Interviewed to-night, Keals stated he was absolutely unable to form any theory or account for the attack on his wile and the mysterious disappearance of the baby. They lived on amicable terms with, their neighbours, and had no enemies who would contemplate such a deed.

A number of detectives are now in the district making inquiries, AUCKLAND, Feb. 10. Mrs Edith Kealls is still unconscious ana not expected to recover. The police it is understood have a strong clue to the perpetrator of the outrage. PARADE OF THIRD REINFORCEMENTS. WELLINGTON, This Day. The third reinforcements from the Trentham camp and the Maori Contingeu(- will be paraded at Newtown Park cn Saturday. FATAL BICYCLE ACCIDENT, ASHBURTON, This Day, A lad, named Thomas Henrj r Addis, son of a farmer at Wiuchmore, when cycling- on Monday, evening was pitched ever the front of hi.s machine, owing to tire forks breaking, and sustained severe concussion of the brain. He died in hospital early this morning - . A GERMAN IN DISTRESS. AUCKLAND * Feb, 9. A young German named Robert Emil Winkler aged 25 years, presented himself at the Auckland Police Station this morning and asked that he ba arrested. He stated that before the war broke cut he was employed by a hairdresser in the city and on account of his nationality he had been thrown cut of work and had found that his German birth deterred him fpom getting - work. He had now come to the end of his resources. Winkler was formally taken into custody on a charge of vagrancy and came before Mr. Frazer, SAL, who remanded hiim for a week to enable the police to communicate with the military authorities, remarking that if th e circumstances were as stated that it would he a kindness to the prisoner to intern him as a hostile alien.