HIGHWAY OUTRAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1919, Page 2

HIGHWAY OUTRAGE.

MOTOR-CYCLE DICK TURPINS. SENSATIONAL ROBBEBRY WITH VIOLENCE. Palmerston North, July 14. A sensational robbery with violence has been reported to tho police ta.t Palmerston North, the victim being a well-known Levin resident. It appears that at about t»venty minutes past six on Saturday evening, a Palmerston North business man and his son were motoring through from Levin to Palmerston by way of Foston. When just past the racecourse at Foxton they met another, motor-car going in the opposite direction towards Levin. The occupants of this car hailed them in passing and they accordingly stopped. One of the men got out of the car and .in? formed the two Palmerston North residents that a little bit further up the road they would find a man who had been robbed and assaulted. At the same time he explained that they had been unable to pick him up as tho car in which his party was travelling was carryihg the mails to Levin and it was full up. In the circumstances the two gentlemen from Palmerston wasted no time in resuming their journey. About two miles further up the voad, in the Himitangi district, they came across a man lying on the footboard of a motorcar in a semi-uncoMeious condition, covered with blood, and presenting a very battered ap'pearance. The injured man, who was in a helpless condition, turned out to be Mr. G. Watson, at one time well known in Wellington athletic circles and ex-chair-man of the County Council at Levin. Mr. Watson disclosed the fact that ho had been made the victim oi an amazing outrage •He had left Palmerston North at 3.30 p.m. that day on his return journey home. While still on the Palmerston North side of Foxton, about Himitangi, his car developed engine trouble on account of it becoming over-heated. He pulled up on the road, and was endeavoring to remedy the trouble when two men riding one behind the other on a itfotor cycle rode up from behind. , They stopped alongside of him, and one of them asked, "What is the matter, old man?" Mr Watson explained the nature of his trouble, and they volunteered assistance, which he naturally accepted. They could nor succeed in getting the car to start, arid while Mr. Watson was bending down over the engine he received a severe blow on the head from some unknown quarter. He immediatelv looked up, and at the same instant one of the two men hit him a severe blow between the eyes rendering him unconscious. When he came to his senses he found himself Weeding profusely and minus his watch and £ls in cash. His two assailants were nowhere to be se_en. The two Palmerston North gentlemen conveyed Mr. Watson to Palmerston, where ho received medical, attention. Subsequently they motored him to his home at Levin, where he now lies suffering from a broken iiose, a cut on his head, two badly bruised eyes, and slight concussion.

Mr. Watson's story as to his assailants is verified in one important particular by the two Palm?rston North residents referred to. It appears that a short time before thev w«e hailed by the occupants of the mail car, they were nearly run into by two men on a motor cycle, travelling at the rate of r.bont 40 miles an hour, and going in the direction of Levin. They surmise that this was within half ar. hour of the assault and robbery, which tallies with the account of the affair given by Mr. Watson. Incidentally, Mr Watson states that while the two men were strangers to him. He is of opinion that he would recognise one of them if he saw him again.