A PLUCKY WOMAN.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 April 1918, Page 7

A PLUCKY WOMAN.

HER FIGHT WITH BURGLARS. Fremantle, March 21. Fremantle was yesterday the scene of a robbery the circumstances surrounding which were sensational in a high degree. Mrs. Stewart White, who lives in Victoria Avenue, North Fremantle, 'heard a nose, which apparently came from one of the upstairs rooms. Mrs. White’s only companion in the house at the time was her mother, an elderly lady. Going upstairs to investigate, she discovered two men in her bedroom, one of them being engaged at a small safe. Mrs. White was promptly knocked down by one of the robbers, flung on a bed and throttled, whilst the other man continued his work of ransacking the safe. Mrs. White’s mother rushed in to help her daughter, whereupon the second man seized her and subjected her to the same treatment as Mrs. White. She exhibited admirable nerve and pluck, and managed to grasp a loaded revolver that lay under the pillow or her bed, and shot and wounded one of the men. She fired at the other, bpt missed. Both men then decamped, but took with them about £25 in money, ladies and gentlemen’s gold watches, and from 15 to 20 gold rings set with diamonds, emeralds, and other precious stones. Mrs. Whits at once notified the Fremantle detectives of what had occurred, and they quickly got to work. Detective Sergeants Muller and Purdue lef tfor Fremantle, and picked up the threads of the case. Purdue was near the Fremantle station about 5 o’clock, when he noticed a man he recognised. Accosting him, he told him he was wanted. The man at once drew a revolver and levelled it at the officer. Purdue, who is an athlete, closed with him, and held him till Petty-cfficer Lucas, who witnessed the-affair, rushed up and wrenched the revolver away. It was found that the detective had had a marvellous escape, as the trigger had been pulled, but had jammed. Purdue’s prisoner was John Feldman, a Russian, who escaped from Fremantle gaol on January 27 last while undergoing a term of hard labour for beraking and entering at Kalgoorlie. ~ The whole of the missing money and jewellery was found in his possession. The search for the second man has so far been resultless. Blood stains on tlje gate of the house and on the ground leading out to the street confirmed the fact of his being wounded, but whether seriously or otherwise is not known.