A SAVAGE ATTACK

Taihape Daily Times, 27 September 1919, Page 5

A SAVAGE ATTACK

IN KALGOORLIE EXPRESS. ‘ BANK NOTES S'i‘OLE;\’ FROM ! PADSENGERS. { ‘A daring attack, featured by sav-I agery of the worst type, was made up-i on two passengers, a man and a wo-I man, while the Kalgoorlie express‘ was irsuhillg towards Perth rccr-ntly. The passengers were assaulted and‘ robbed of about £BO, and both vi-,t.i<ns I were "rendered unconscious during .17 desperate fight they put up against! their assailants. ‘ The first intimation of the affair} was ‘the receipt at the C'entral railway‘ station of a wire from railway oflicialsi at Cunderdin. The message stated that two passengers in the express train had been rdbbed, and the pl'e'.=ence of the police at the central station when the train arrived was requested. Upon arrival ol’ the train "there was no sign of either of the offenders. The conductor of the train furnished the Commissioner with a. report, in which ‘it was stated that while the train was approaching Karalee the conductor pwas informed there had been fighting 9in the front portion of the train, and lreceived a report from a man and a lwoman, who said they had been‘ aslsaulted and robbed by two men. One !of the men was fofind and handed‘ over we the Southern Cross police, and.st ‘was reported that his confederate had jumped from the train whiTe in moition near~the No. 7 pumping station. §The police at Southern Cross did not ‘detain the man, who was allowed to bresume his journey by train.

The names of tlia parties attacked are 'Alick Atzer, about 50, and Mrs Ada Murray, about 40_ Theyboarderi the Kalgoorlie express, and intended remaining at Perth a few days before continuing the journey to the Eastern States. The man had about £54 in his possession, and, in a purse,‘ Mrs Murray had one £5 note, and’-nineteen £1 notes. In addition she carried other bank notes in her clothing. .

_ From the cen’fr'a’l railway station, after the arrival of the express, Atzer was conveyed to the P'erth'Hospital, and his face, which was badly smash-| ed, was dressed at the casualty warrl." When interviewed, Mrs Murray told a history which, for brutal treatmest, would be difficult to surpass. She said that she and ‘Atzer, who are friends, joihed the express at -Kalgoorlie, she‘ having until lately been engaged at the Miners’ Rest Hotel, which was severely Wrecked in the recent goldfields‘ riots. They were seated in a. second-I class compartment, when two men en-I tered and sat on the seat Qpposite.! Oneeof the strangers asked if they! would join them in a drink, and Mrs Murray replied in the negative fori herself and her companion One of} the men then said he wanted to ten? his friend something, and they left the compartment. Subsequently they re-3 entered and sat. opposite, but neither attempted to open conversation. Without warning one ‘,-of the pair rose from his seat and grabbed Mrs tMurray by the throat. Next instant. ;he whipped out a handkerchief which he secured tightly round the womans’ neck. She was struck in the mouth. ;her teeth being broken and her glasses iwere smashed by a second blow. Mrs jMurray’s struggles were ineffective. ishe being almost choked by the tight ihandkerchief.‘ She was dragged into gthe corridor, and was in a semi-con-ascious condition. A few minutes later, iwhen she regaised her senses she ;tore the fastening from her nck, and ‘rturned to the compartment, where she saw Atzer lying back, unconscious, lon the sent_ His face was. like her gown. streaming with blood but his in;jlll’l€S were worse. Afterwards he reiported the loss of his money, and Mrs [Murray missed her handbag. Other {notes in Mrs Murray’s clothing were !not taken by the desperadoes, and ‘these notes were found to be saturated fwith blood. -

The Perth detectives subsequently arrested two men in connection wit?) the affair.