AN AMAZING STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 13, 9 February 1909, Page 4

AN AMAZING STORY.

A most astounding narrative related <to the Melbourne police by a young man r 2l years of age, who is a grocer's assistant, working at Xorth Carlton, and ■living in the same suburb, is being investigated by Detective Bannon. The dnformant, according to his own complaint, appears to be pursued through 'life by a furious and mysterious, but remarkable old gentleman, who insists upon being a father to him. The young man, who is engaged to be married, has a decided objection to being fathered {by a casual and impulsive old person •iti the street, and when the first meeting ■occurred at Clifton Hill gome time ago ho repudiated the alleged relationship with scowi. "Procure your birth certificate, ray son,' ; pleaded the old man. if'and von will find that 1 am your 'father.'' Then the yousi? man again deuied him. At tills all the aged man's affection turne dto indignation, and he "welted" lus alleged offspring so effectually that he. "laid him out." "I insist upon the production of the birth certificate." the young mau heard dully as lie iwa* "taking the count," an dwhen he ■recovered bis senses the horrible old •person had vanished.

I «A montli later a similar thing happened one. night in East- Melbourne—same old man, sarnie old claim, same old wolf. The business was becoming serious. The police information says the young mau. on liis wav to see his young lady at Clifton Hill, to whom he is engaged. was onee more confronted by the •terrible old man. who bounced out on him in a lonely place and again demanded his birth certificate and the instant acknowledgment of his parentage. 'Phe youjig man once again refused. Then •the old fellow danced round him so fast ithat he made liis head swim, and proiKled him with a straight left and a H'ight cross, etc., ami Itooved Imn. The young man then, stung into retaliation, knocked the "old'un" down, but the latter one® more lloored him, and sitting ■down hard upon him. lectured him on ; flis cruel unnatural repudiation, and ! (forced him to drink "something out of •;i bottle that would do him good." He ilrank, and the old man went away, living that he would eall on hiin again. The young man then found that he had ti very bad pain inside of him. and, '■itaggfTinir to the girl's home, complained that he had been poisoned. Dr. Bradford, of Clifton Hill, was railed in. j ami lie found every symptom of poison- | ing bv some irritant drug. He applied i the stomach-pump, and handed consents to the police for analyrite. The : detective is of opinion that, the young man was poiaoned. but, after enquiry, he doubt* much whether any old nnan had a hand in administering it. iThece the matter stands for the present.