VIOLENT ASSAULT ON MR P. MURTAGH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1578, 9 January 1884, Page 2

VIOLENT ASSAULT ON MR P. MURTAGH.

(From the Woodville Examiner,) ' On Monday evening a violent assault to committed on Mr P. Murtagh, of Meanee, at Crane's Hotel, TahopeT Mr Murtagh to in the stable res/ding a newspaper, when a drunken' native • walked in and asked him to give him a pound, Mt-Murjagh askedhiin to wait a little, hut the native resisted, and stamped his foot on Mr Murtagh's left leg, which had been seriously ' injured '• shortly before by an accident at the racecourse. Not having recovered from ' itheeffects of that accident, Mr Murtagh wasnot in a very fit condition to defend himself, and the Maori a second time stamped on Mr Murtagh's leg, tearing open the former wounds, and leaving a painful gash about a foot in length, and .opening up tho flesh into the bone. A •man named McLusky was preswit at : the time, and interceded on Murtagh's" behalf, when the native, a powerful fellow, attaeked him, also dealing him a severeblow anddiscolouring McLusky's face. Mr Murtagh managod to get away over to the hotel, where, under the aggravation he had sustained, be seized -,■-.■ a poker and seomed as though he were '■'"'' about to return to the stable to. seek • revenge. , The occupants of the 'hotel : looked the doors in order that he should .-.> ■, not; again expose himself to danger, s:; : -. for, by this time about. a score ofUr half-di'troken Maoris had assembled in,*. the'stables. Mr Murtagh, however, found, his way out by a window,.' and the natives seeing him with a poker became wild with excitement and in a mob rushed on him. Mr Murtagh endeavored to get baok into the hotel, but the doors having been previously, locked, the Maories were upon him before the doors could be opened, and he was smashed about in a brutal manner. Besides having his legs scratched, cut, and bruised, two of his ribs were fractured, his left shoulder put out of joint, and his face and other ■ parts of his body bruised and discolored, r He was brought on to Mr Murphy's Woodville Club hotel in a state of, great pain. Dr Lightbourne was sent for and attended the patient, who has received every care at the hands of Mrs Murphy, and although suffering from severe injuries it is hoped he will be about as usual in two or three ■fteeks, We understand steps will be taken to prosecute the natives who committed the assault, but blame also attaches to whoever supplied them with overrmuch = : . liquor, and wherever natives ;have facilities lor becoming the worse for liqnor such disturbances must occasionally occur.