THE KOPAKI ASSAULT.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1922, Page 2

THE KOPAKI ASSAULT.

VERY BRUTAL ATTACK. VICTIM ROUSED FROM BED. WOULD-BE RESCUER INJURED. FOUR ACCUSED REMANDED. Te Kuiti, March 21. Further details to hand in connection with the Kopaki assault on Saturday show that the victim, William Routledge, arrived at Kopaki about 6 p.m. ' bn March 18 and requested accommodation at Fletcher’s boardinghouse. He was told no beds were available, but could sleep on a couch if he liked. He said the couch would suit him and went to the dining-room for dinner. There were several men seated with him at the dinner table but he took no notice of them. Before retiring, a tall, bearded man asked him to have a drink, which invitation he refused. The man appeared to resent this and asked him his name and what he was doing there. Routledge refused the information and asked to be left alone. The man then left the room followed by three other men. A few moments later Routledge hearll singing and shouting in a whare across the road, but eventually dropped off to sleep. Some time in the night he was awakened by four men coming into his room and throwing his things about, meanwhile using insulting language. Routledge got off the couch, but was suddenly rushed by the men, knocked down, and kicked in the ribs. The men were apparently mad drunk. “ATTEMPT TO BREAK LEG.” A man named Courtney pluckily came to his assistance, but was knocked, senseless. Routledge then took the opportunity of slipping outside. The men rushed after him again, knocked him down and proceeded to kick and “maul” him while on the ground. Routledge alleged that one man got hold of his leg and tried to break it. Another twisted his arm up his back, while a third kicked him in the ribs all the time. After some minutes of this treatment he collapsed. He was dragged two and a-half chains through the blackberry and thrown into a creek. Revived somewhat by the cold water he managed to scramble up the opposite bank and crawl under a pile of wood. Later he heard his assailants looking for him. He alleges he overheard certain remarks which left no doubt in his mind, that they thought he was dead when thrown in the creek. His clothes had beefi practically kicked off him.

A PAINFUL JOURNEY. Though half dead from the effects of iiis injuries he managed to half crawl, half z walk, barefooted, a distance of two and a-half miles to the residence o-f Mr. VV. Fordham, which he reached in a state of collapse and covered with blood. As the result of a telephone message from Mr. Fordham at 1.30 a.m. on Sunday Sergeant Fearnley, Constable Kennedy, and a doctor motored to Kopaki. After making a few hurried inquiries the party walked two and a-half milse to Fordham’s, where they found Routledge in a very bad state. Courtney was later located in Kopaki. He showed unmistakable evidence of wounds received when he so pluckily went to the assistance of Routledge. His face and nose were injured and

both eyes blackened. Holgate and Daly, who are alleged to have been concerned in the meatter, were arrested on the spot and brought to Te Kuiti. Sergeant Fearnley and Constable Kennedy returned later in the day and arrested Grundy and Glover. All the accused submitted quietly to arrest. SEVERE EXTENT OF INJURIES. Some idea of the savage nature of the assault may be gained from the medical examination of Routledge, which disclosed a swollen left wrist, contusion of the same, bruise on the back of left hand, bruise inside the right knee, large bruise on the left hipbone as if he had been forcibly thrown against some hard object, severe bruises on the right molar bone extending close to the eye, contusion of the right temple, left molar bone bruised, contusion of the eigMh rib, probably fractured, severe scratches on both feet, swollen left ankle, which is severely wrenched, bruised left shin bone, swollen right shoulder as the result of a severe wrench, deep wound below the chin, and bruise behind the right ear. z The medical examination of James Courtney disclosed a large bruise on the left side, left jaw bone bruised, extensive bruise over both eyes, contusion and fracture of the nasal bone, contusion of the right temple, contusion of the larnyx, and bruise on the upper end of the left arm. At the Magistrate’s Court, before Mr. J. Tammadge, J.P.. the four accused, represented by Mr. J. D. Vernon, were charged with causing grievous bodily harm to William Routledge on March 18. They pleaded not guilty. On the application of Sergeant Fearnley the accused were remanded for seven da vs.