PLUCKY WOMAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1918, Page 6

PLUCKY WOMAN.

TIGHT WITH BURGLARS Fre mantle was the scene of a" robbery the circumstances surrounding wfticli were sensational in a high degree, says the Sydney Sun. Mrs. Stewart White, who lives in Victoria Avenue, North Freinantlc, heard a noise, which apparently came from one of the upstairs rooms. Mrs. Whites only companion in the house at the time was hec mother, an elderly lady. Going" upstairs to investigate, she discovered.jtwo men in her bedroom, one of them being engaged at a small safe. Mrs. White was-promptly knocked down by one of the robbers, flung on a bed, and throttled, whilst the. other man continued his work of ransacking the safe, Mrs. White's mother rushed in to help her daughter, whereupon the second man seized her and subjected her to the same treatment as Mrs. White. She exhibited admirable nerve awl pluck, and managed to grasp a loaded revolver that lay under the pillow of her bed, and shot and wounded one of the men. , , , She fired at the other, but missed. Both men, then Tlecamped, but took with | them about £25 in money, ladies' and I o-entlenien's gold watches, and from la to 20 gold rings set with diamonds, emeralds. and other precious stones. Mrs White at once notified the Fremantle detectives of what had occurred, and they qui'lkly got to work. Detec-tive-Sergeants Muller and Pu-due left | for Fremantle, and picked up the threads of the case. Purdue was near the Fremant.ic railway station about 5 o'clock, when lie noticed a man he recognised- Accosting him he told him he was wanted. I The man at once drew a revolver I and levelled it at the officer. EflJOTie. 1 who is an athlete, closed with hln

held iiim till Petty-Officer feucas, witnessed the affair, rushed uj!. and

wrenched the revolver away. Ib found that the detective had had a marvellous escape, as the trigger had been pulled, hut had jammed.

i Purdue's prisoner was John Feldman, a Russian, who escaped from Fremantle Gaol on January 27 last while undergoing a term of hard labor for breaking and entering at KalgcorlieThe whole of tho missing money and jewellery was found in his possession. The search for the second man has so ; far been re&ultloss.

Bloodstains on the gate of the house and on the ground loading out to the street ■ confirmed the fact of his being wounded, hut whether seriously or ot'herwiso is not known.