BRUTAL ASSAULT NEAR THE BLUFF.

Globe, 30 December 1876, Page 3

BRUTAL ASSAULT NEAR THE BLUFF.

The Southland News of the 22nd gives the following particulars of the late brutal assault near the Bluff :—Charles Oalderwood was brought up on remand yesterday, charged with assaulting Hugh Duddy on the Bluff road on Thursday, the 7th instant. Mr Harvey, as counsel for the police, examined Hugh Duddy, who was still so weak that he had to be accommodated with a seat, Witness detailed at length how he made the acquaintance of the prisoner in Dunedin ; the proposal to purchase the Pier Hotel ; their arrival together in town for that purpose, and the subsequent proceedings, which have already been made public. Of the circumstances immediately attending the assault, the witness said :—Accused and I went to a creek—the Mokotua—and had a drink. Afterwards we passed the terrace, where the railway cutting is, and on to the next flat. There are no houses there, I went to get a drink out of the ditch, and sitting down on the edge of it with my feet in it took off my hat to fill it with water. Accused was then standing behind me, and as I stooped to drink out of the hat he struck me with the iron bolt produced. The blow stunned me, but turning round I saw accused, who struck me again, saying, “ You wretch, I’ll kill you.” He appeared to be in earnest; I saw he meant what he said. I got out of the ditch on the other side, and ran across the flat, he pursuing. Finding he was overtaking me I doubled, and was running back, but fell, when he got up and struck me twice on the head with the bolt. I managed to get to my feet, and getting hold of the bolt, asked him what he was going to kill me for. He answered, “You b y wretch, I’ll kill you,” We struggled for the bolt, and I said, “ If you give it to me I’ll throw it away.” It was then I lifted my foot and kicked him in the stomach. Afterwards I got possession of the bolt, and ran towards Invercargill, he following me as soon as he had picked up his hat. I had a start of about fifty yards, which I increased until getting to O’Brien’s jhouae. Accused was a good bit behind. I asked Mrs O’Brien for shelter, which she gave me, and sent to the sawmill for assistance. I was then very exhausted. Not long afterwards the prisoner came to the house, and I heard him ask Mrs O’Brien if a man covered with blood had passed. She said, “ Yes, he has gone 0n,,” and prisoner said, 11 I’ll kill him if I can catch him.' Some of the sawmill hands then came to the house, and after helping to dress my wounds, took me to the hospital. Witness then identified various articles produced as having been on his person at the time, They included a watch, chain, gold key, deposit receipt for £2OO, £6O in notes and a half sovereign. He stated that there no angry words between them, and Dr Yorath deposed to the when brought to endan-J-Vhe

Group, in the China Sea, on the 18th ultimo. It being found impossible to save the vessel, the captain and crew took to the boats, and were picked up nine days after by the Danish steamer Asia, by whom they were brought on to Hongkong. The disaster was attributed to the stopping of the chronometer, On the sth instant, an inquiry was held on the loss of the vessel, when the Court found that the master had been guilty of an error of judgment in not returning to Hongkong or making for Saigon when he found the chronometer had stopped, but they returned his certificate. In Soochow and Woosich great excitement prevails among the natives, who have been seized with a panic on account of a superstitious belief in various sorceries they have been imagining were performed among them. It is rumored that several members of the TTungfei society have been arrested in Kiangsu, and have confessed, under torture, to the existence of a large number of confederates all ready to rise on the first favorable opportunity. The new Haikwan of Canton, has issued a proclamation in which he warns the merchants and traders on the one hand not to attempt to evade the payment of the duties on goods according to the tariff, and on the other denounces the system of “ squeezing” on. the part of officials, whom he exhorts to forsake such malpractices. The British Minister and the Viceroy of Chihli have met at Chefoo,|but it does not appear that the negotiations have been forwarded one whit. They have interchanged visits, and Li has received the various other foreign Ministers staying at the port. It is believed that Sir Thomas Wade is waiting for instructions from the Foreign Office. The persecutions in Szechuen still con tinue On the 20th of July, in the town of Yuen-hon-chang, a number of Christians were seized by an armed crowd and cut to pieces, while others were severely wounded, and still more are missing. Two days later another massacre was perpetrated at Peimowchen, and the agitators are reported to be traversing the province and exciting the populace to murder or expel the Christians, A correspondent writing from Ningpo on the 25th ult, informs ns that the cotton crop in that district is expected to be a very fine one this year. The weather there is cool and pleasant. The residents are anxious for definite news from the North, Five natives convicted in Hongkong of piracy have been sentenced to fifteen years’ penal servitude. In connection with the recent outrage at Kien Ningfu, we understand that the Provincial Government has within the past few days despatched a commission to that place, consisting of the Territorial Taotai, and some other officers of lower rank, to enquire into and report on the circumstances of the attack, Much as the conduct of the Kien Ningfu Mandarins is to be condemned, we cannot withhold the praise due to Ting Futal’a prompt action in the matter—action which it is to be hoped will effectually prevent any recurrence of these cowardly outrages.