Shocking Outrage.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 219, 20 September 1904, Page 4

Shocking Outrage.

A SYDNEY SENSATION.

WOMAN BRUTALLY ASSAULTED.

A shocking assault occurred at Newtown, Sydney, on Septmniber 4th, the victim being a young married woman named Kate Amelia Forfar, who resides with her husband in Dixon-street, Newtown. Tho woman WIIS taken to the Royal Prince Al--1 fled Hospital shortly after 2 o'clock in a terribly battei-ed and bruised condition. From a statement made by Mrs Porf a r to the police, it appears that she left home with her liusband early on Saturday evening, with the intention of shopping. She remained in the company of her husband until shortly after ten o'clock, when, in conseqjuenco of a quarrel, she left him and he proceeded home by himself. According to her statement, she then went into a shop, and stayed ther*: for some time. On leaving, she walked towards her home taking the Cook's River Road. When near Union-street j a group of larrikins, who had been j standing in the shadow of street corner, followed her for some distance along, the road, and at an unfrequented part of the street one of tham ran up to her and struck her a heavy blow in the face. She fell unconscious. When she regained her senses she realised that? she had 'been dragged to an open paddock. She struggled to free herself and screamed. As she did so the man who had held her hit her violentfy in the face. She again called out, and w a s again struck So fiercely that she lapsed into somi-consciousness. After a few minutes she began to struggle once more, and called out for help. Seeing that she was recovering, her assailants struck at her repeatedly, hitting her on tho nose, in the eyes, and on the forehead. She saw a man alongside of her, evidently watching with several men who were a few yards down the street. The man ntanding near m a de a remark to his companion, and this induced the woman to struggle even more desperately, and both men then fought and swore at her. She became exhausted, and her assailants seized the opportunity to brutally maltreat her about the face and body. At this stage the men who were watching gave the alarm of the approach of some stranger, and all of them quickly disappeared. The woman is doubtful as to the num>ber of men present, but she states that two were near her, and she hearti others calling out. She recollects ! seeing about six vouug fellows near Union-street. When the men ran away she called loudly for help, but no one passed. So terribly overcome was she with her efforts to shake off her assailants that she was only able to drag herself along the street to the nearest house. She continued to call for help, and pushing open the front gate of a house near "by hammered at the door for assistance. A man hearing the noise opened the wir dow, and seeing a Woman in distresj went to the door and led her inside o ut of the latterly air. From a, few fragynentary sentences he soon realised what had happened, and giving the woman a pair of slippers, be assisted her to the police station. | On arrival there it was seen that [ the woman had been shockingly treated. Her face was a mass of bruises, a s the result'of tVing repeatedly struck. Constable Bellemey, who was on duty at the station, at once hurried her to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she was admitted for treatment by Dr. Connelly. Some time was occupied in bathin-j her face and dressing the wounds. A large cut was found by the doctor on the right temple, where she had evidently been struck, a very heavy blow by a man's fist, the ring on one of the fingers having cut into her face.

Sergeant Myers arrived at tho hospital a few minutes after the woman, and on hearing her statement immediately communicated with policemen in different portions of the suburb to keep a look-out for any suspicious characters who might lie abroad. He then proceeded to the scene of the assault, and 0 n the paddock indicated found the missing clothes belonging t<> the woman, also her boots and stockings. The grass and the fence near by w a s smeared with blood', and there w a s evidence of a recent struggle. Mrs Forfar is not able to give t good description of tho men who assaulted her, as it was dark at the time, and sihe could not recognise their features owing to the shadow cast 0 n their faces by the slouch hats they wore. She is certain, however, that they were young fellows between 22 and 27, and believes she could readily recognise their voices. She states that she was wearing three rings at the time, and the two men who were the chief assailants seeing them roughly dragged them from her Angers. It appears that the husband when he left his wife in Newtown went home thinking that she would follow a little later. In the early hours of the morning, however, a policeman conveyed the news of the assault on his wife tioi him, and he('accompanied the official to the hospital. The police learn from both the husband and wife that while out on Saturday night they had a couple of drinks together, and tho wife also states that during the evening she had a glass of wine. She is somewhat hazy as to the exact spot at which the men first accosted her, but the police, from her description of the locality where the outrage was committed, had no difficulty in finding the paddock.