THE LATE ASSAULT ON MRS HARDY AT POVERTY BAY.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 239, 15 July 1872, Page 3

THE LATE ASSAULT ON MRS HARDY AT POVERTY BAY.

The Hawke's Bay Herald gives the following particulars of the brutal assault which was ccmmitted at Poverty Bay on Mrs Hardy ami her servant : “ Mrs Hardy, her two children, who slept with her, and the servant, Mary Ann Manchester, were alone in the house, which is some distance away from any other. Un Frida}’, the 21st instant, at about 1 a.m., the servant was woke up by hearing the children crying, and before she had time to get up to find out the reason, she saw a man enter her room, and as he passed the window (it being full moon at the time, and the moon shining iu at the window), she saw that lie was a man named William Shuker. He came up to her bed, seized her by the throat, and attempted to commit a criminal assault. The girl stoutly resisted. that, he stooped aril picked up from tire floor a weapon which he had brought in with him, and commenced heating her on the head, hut, owing to her struggles, the blows did not have such full effect as tln-y were meant to have. The last blow, which she received on the upper p..rt of the left arm, knocked her on to the floor. He, being alarmed at her cries, ran out through the back door, across l he garden to a gate which opens to the front of the bouse, put on his boots, mounted his horae, which was tied to the

fence, anrMrom thence galloped home. It having rained all thepreviousday atideveuhistracksamlproceeditigswereasplain as if maiked on a map. The girl did not totally lose her senses ; and as soon as he was gone, up, and, proceeding to her mistress’ room, found her to all appearance dead, and, as the girl thought, . with her head battered in. She then ran just as she was, in**"h**r nightdress and bare feet, toConstahleO'Dononghue’s, woke him up, and, as well as she was able, informed him of what had occurred. He called up the constables in the blockhouse, and then went to Mrs Hardy’s. He found her lying on her bark, with a child tightly clasped in each arm She was breathing heavily, and her skull apparently fractured. The constable then woke up Mr Skipworth, the nearest neigbonr, and asked him to go and do what lie could for Mrs Hardy. He then called Mr Stubns, who went and dressed the servant’s wounds. He found three sfevere wounds on the scalp, a bad contusion of the left hand (since found broken), and a severe bruise on the upper part of the left arm. She had apparently lost a deal of blood, her hair and nightdress being saturated. Dr Nesbitt had been sent for, but

was unfortunately in the country, and could not arrive under three hours. Mr Stubbs then proceeded to Mrs Hardy’s, where he found Mr Skipworth and Mrs Taylor attending on the sufferer. She had three extensive wounds on the top of the head, varying from an inch and a half to three in ln s lung, one on the right, temple, one over the left eye, and numerous contusions on the neck and shouhlcrs. The skull was not fractured, but she was suffering from partial concussion of the brain. The bleeding being stopped, there was nothing left to do but fo wait patiently until the doctor arrived, ! which was not until nearly eight hours after the occurrence, the d lay being caused by the ferryman, Frederick Gold- | smith, who refused to put the mess tiger i across the river. The prisoner was brought up for examination on Friday, and re- I

manded until Monday, win n the principal witness, Mary Ann Maucliest r, would he able to appear and give evidence. On the case being heard before the Bench, Mary Anti Manchester swore , positively that it was the prisoner who j entered her room and assaulted her. A duster was also found in the prisoner’s pocket, which she swore to having used the pr vions day. The horse he had that day used belonged to Captain Porter,

wnose servant; lie was, ana me iracics were sworn to by Captain Porter; the fore part of one hoof being, broken off, and tbe sa'd tracks leading from Hardy’s fence to the prisoner’s house. Spots of blood were found on his coat; his socks were found very wet and dirty, as if he had walked in them. The weapon lie used was a piece of manuka about a foot and a-lialf long, which had been sawn the previous day by a labourer employed by Mr Hardy. The prisoner bad evidently gone to the wood heap, and taken the weapon into the house with him, with the intention of committing murder, if necessary, to effect his object. He had ob tained entrance through a window in the kitchen, which had unfortunately been left unfastened. The prisoner is again remanded until Thursday, when it is thought that Mrs Hardy will be sufficiently recovered to give evidence.