WANTON DESTRUCTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 85, 12 April 1917, Page 6

WANTON DESTRUCTION.

OUTRAGE AT AUSTRIAN'S

HOUSE

TWO WOMEN ARRESTED

A few days ago there occurred a ••Case of wanton destruction oi a house and contents jvt Ktirow (Q^ago) belonging to Frederick Steftan, a Tyrolese Austrian. Mr and Mrs 'Steffan were absent at the time, motoring with a. soldier relative on leave from camp. Windows, crockery■waro, mirrors, and furniture were broken. The furniture was also • damaged, nnd the floor strewn with -flour. A few days afterwards Steffan threw the place open to the public in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, 'and a considerable sum was raised. "The detectives at once began to investigate the matter, and as a'result •on Wednesday Detective-Sergeant Kemp and Detective Hammerly arrested two married women named Hardy and Pratt on a charge of ■committing the damage, ivhich is at about £100. An unusual feature (says the Dunedin Star) is the fact that the woman Pratt is the wife of the local constable, who was absent from the district when the • offence occurred. ■ The other woman is the wife of a carpenter, and they tooth lived next door to the Steffans. :Steffan is a well-known New Zealand guide, and an expert bushman. He 'has been in New Zealand for many years. With his experience of bush work ho was engaged some years ago to assist Detective (now Sub-Inspec-tor) Broberg .to • hunt down the murderer Ellis' in the back country of the North Island. He also recovered the body of a settler named 'Andrew, who was lost in the bush while deer-stalking in the Martinborough district. Andrew's life was Insured for £10,000, and a reward of £400 was offered for the recovery of *he body; dead or alive.