A BRUTAL OUTRAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 174, 22 January 1912, Page 5

A BRUTAL OUTRAGE.

BURGLAR ASSAULTS POSTMISTRESS. By Tefegtapb—Preag Association. Kimbolton, Saturday. A dastardly outrage was committed at the post office at Kiwitea. twelve miles from Feilding, at an early hour yesterday morning. About 1 o'clock. Mrs. Kernahan, postmistress, who was sleeping with her daughter, fourteen years old, was awakened by a man who had opened the window. The man demanded the keys of the safe. When Mrs. Kernahan refused she screamed, and the little girl across the road to arouse a neighbor. In the meantime the man dragged Mrs. Kernahan through the window and brutally assaulted her with a heavy piece of wood or iron bar. By the time help arrived the man had completely disappeared, and the woman wat found lying unconscious "and Weeding bne was taken to Feilding, where a medical examination showed that hei arm was broken, apparently in shielding her head, and her head was much bruised. The victim is now in a private hospital seriously, though not dangerously, ill. • „ :Sergeant Bowden and Detective Quirk* W ckl y proceeded to Kiwitea, but though tlie whole district has been scoured' there is not a trace of the man. One or two clues have been followed up, but without result. The affair is a shock to the district, as the postmistress, who is a widow, is very popular:'