DRAMA IN CELLAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3465, 20 April 1920, Page 7

DRAMA IN CELLAR.

AN AMAZING INCIDENT.

An amazing story of an alleged as-

sault was told when George Beazle)’, aged sixteen, was charged with striking Elizabeth Hilda Harding on the head with a piece of iron, says the “Weekly Record.”

Miss Harding, who is the manageress at the stores of the Victoria Wine Company, in London, said Beazley

had been employed at the stores about three weeks as an errand boy. He arrived at the shop before his time and went into the cellar. About five minutes later he returned, saying the gas would not burn. She then noticed that he had in his

hand :1 piece of iron (weighing about 2;1b). He returned to the cellar, lbllt came back a few minutes later say—ing the gas would not burn‘, as all the pipes were loose; would she go and see to it?

As he said this he stepped aside

to ‘let her pass, and she was in the’ act of stepping from the second to ‘.t.lle third stair when she felt‘ a. treinendous blow on the top of the head, which knocked her to the bottom of the flight of sixteen stairs.

She got up, dazed, and hc:ll'ing Beazley coming behind her, she called out, “Oh, George, whatever has h:lppencd'?” She thought that the trap door had

fallen. The next moment, however, Beazley struck 11(‘I"{1(3I'0SS the forehead with the iron, knocking her

back against :1 pillar. She shriekedi and screained. “It is no use for you to scream,” said the boy, “that won’t do you any good.” She asked him if he had a father and mother. He said he had.~ She said she had, too, “so please don’t murder me in this cellar.” With that he started to cry, and as he went to wipe away the tears, she! took the iroiyfi-om him and -asked ‘why he did it. He sobbedand said: “Well, if you‘ had 9. mother and father at home starving, what. would you do‘? They‘ haven’t. any money to pay the rent“ or even to ‘buy anything‘ to eat. They only have my small earnings.” She told him that had she known she would have helped him, and she ofiered him her purse. He declined it, and being asked what he did want, the said he didn’t' knofin He afterwards accompanied her to see a doc’tol'. 5 - The magistrate asked if she had

noticed anything wrong about the, _boy before. “Nothing,” she re; pliod. “He is it very good boy, and‘ has done his work well.” " [

111 directing :1 rem-um] the uxagiwi tratc said he would like to have the! boy medically examined. I