AN INVERCARGILL SENSATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4726, 21 May 1894, Page 3

AN INVERCARGILL SENSATION.

Capture of the Supposed Perpetrator. (By Telegraph—Press Association). Inyercaihiill, Saturday. The tranquility which usually characterises Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu was disturbed on Thursday morning by the discovery that during tho night sundry depredations had been committed, and attempts mado to entor several houses.

Two large windows in Hcichardt's Hotel had been broken, and Mc Brido's Hotel had been entered and the beds and window sill in one room wore found spotted over with blood. Matters assumed a more serious aspect when it was known that the houso of Geo. Jlullishad been broken into, and his wife violently and indecently assaulted. About 2.30 a.m. Mullis was awakened by his wife, who was indelicate health, She told him that a man was in the room,aiid that he had assaulted her. Mullis saw the man bolt through the open window. Elood was found upon the window blinds, on the pillows and bed clothing', and on Mrs Mullis' clothing. Jlullis apprised Constable Jones of the occurrence, and the two returned to the house, and (raced, by the spots of blood, the course of the assailant to Boyne's Jetty and on board the ketch Mystery. There they found 11 man named Jno. Kcrn,wollknown in the locality, in his bunk with his clothes on, and traces of blood on his garments and hand. Ho stated that the blood was that of his mate, who was in his bunk, There was no one else in the craft, so Constable Jones took Kern to the lockup, leaving Mullis with his revolver to await the arrival of Kern's mate, a German named Fetor Klasky, In an quarter of an hour Klasky appeared, and was bailed upby Mullis until tho arrival of Constable Jones. His hands were found to be badly cut and bleeding freely, and his clothes were satuated with blood.

Tho two men were charged before J.P.'s with burglariously entering [ho house of Geo. Mullis, and were remanded until Monday next.

The case i,s not regarded as st serious one against Kern, who states that he was only helping his mate home, and that that accounted for tho blood upon his clothes, Klasky is a low set German, of about 35 years of age, clean shaved. He had only been about a week on the ketch, and is thought to be a deserter from some vessel.

Mullis, -who "is slightly deaf, did not hear his wife's first outcry, and was awakened with difficulty,

Tho Gorman's boots tit the footprints outside the window of Mullis' bedroom. A murlin-spike was found in his pocket.

Kern had been drinking lately, and is violent when in bis cups.