The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-03 00:00:00

THE BURMESE DACOITS.

A very successful affair is reported from Upper
Burmah. On the 25th August Brigadier-Genera
Wolseley, with 40 troopers, lti mounted infantrymen,
and some policemen, rushed the dacoit village of
Kalayweh during a heavy rain-storm. Four of the
dacoits were killed, one was wounded, and 30
prisoners were taken, with 31 guns, 57 dabs and
spears, and a large quantity of powder and lead. Oa
our side one Sower was wounded.

Exaggerated accounts of the recent conspiracy in
Mandalay have been published. The Aloungpra pre-
tender who was to head it and 60 of his followers
were surrounded and captured by the police in a
kvoung in Mandalay where they had assembled. The
Chief Commissioner, who is now in Mandalay,
attaches little importance to the'affair.

A LADY ot charitable disposition asked a tramp It
she could not assist him by mending his clothes.—
Yes, madam, he replied; I have a button, and if you
would sew a shirt on to it you would greatly obl,go
me!

DANGERS OF THE RAIL.
OUTRAGE ON A YOUNG LADY.

On Saturday night a young lady, aged 25, named
Catherine Scragg, schoolmistress at the Shrewsbury
Board Schools, who was travelling to Shrewsbury by
the London and North-Western express arriving at
eight o'clock, was, it is stated, the victim of a brutal
outrage and murderous assault midway between
Wellington and Shrewebsry. It appears that just
afEer leaving Wellington a man, whose name is
kncwo, living at Tipton, Staffordshire, who was the
only other person in the compartment, attempted to
assault her, and she was only rescued by the timely
intervention of a gentleman in an adjoining compart-
ment. The following statement has been made by the
lady to Detective Morris, of Shrewbury
:-
"They took our tickets at Wellington, and just as
the train was starting for Shrewsbury I observed a
man jump into the carriage where I sat, and I thought
of jumping out, but there was not time. I took up
my book to read, and after going a short distance the
man asked me if the train stopped before it reached
Shrewsbury. I said "No.' He replied that he was
going to Shrewsbury to see his wife, but I made no
answer. He then got up, came to the end of the
carriage where I sat, and put his arm around my neck.
I threatened to scream, and then he took hold of me
and attempted to assault me. I fought hard with
him and he struck me violently with his fist. I then
made for the door and got on to the footboard with
the intention of jumping out. But when the door
shut it shut on my arm. A gentleman in the next
compartment looked out of the window and saw my
position, and, having led me along the footboard,
pulled me into his compartment through the window.
The man followed, but the gentleman who had
aEsisted me had a sword-stick with him. He drew
out the sword and threatened to run it through the
man if he came near, and that was the last I saw of
him."

On the train reaching Shrewsbury the porters wore
immediately despatched along the line in search of
the offender. He was found lying on the rails in an
unconscious state, with his face terribly cut and much
bruised about the body. He was taken to Shrewsbury
Infirmary, and so also was Miss Scragg, who was
suffering from severe shook to the system, in addition
to being greatly bruised about the face and arms.
The man did not regain consciousness until Sunday
morning, and some days, it was expected, would elapse
before he would be able to appear before the magis-
trates, He was informed by Detective Morris that
he would be charged with the assault, to which he
made no reply.

The Shrewsbury police have found another im•
portanl. niece of evidence in regard to this outrage,
which took place between Wellington and Shrewsbury
on Saturday night—namely, a hat of Miss Scragg.
It was disco.ered lying beside the line, about five
miles from Shrewsbury. Miss Scragg states that
when she got out of the carriage the man Grice
first closed the d9or upon her, and she rode for
some distance on the step, Afterwards he opened
the door, and then she shifted along to the
carriage in which Mr. Graham was riding, and
got in through the window, when Grice disappeared.
Miss Scragg still lies in a prostrate condition, but in
gradually recovering. It has been ascertained that
her alleged assailant, Grice has been for some time
employed at the Castle Iron Works, Wellington. He
is a stout, burly fellow, and it is thought by some tc
be scarcely credible that any young lady could wrestle
with so powerful an opponent for 15 minutes and iliti.
mately get free. He was seen to enter the train just
as it was starting from Wellington, and appears to
have watched his opportunity for entering the com-
partment wherein Miss Scragg 'sat alone. This given
rise to the opinion that the assault was premeditated.
Tie compartment has been inspected by the authori-
ties, who report that the cushions, doors, and windows
were besmeared with blood; parcels were scattered
about the floor, and there were other signs of a terrible
struggle. Grice lies in a critical condition in the
Shrewsbury Infirmary, suffering from severe injuries
received in his jumping from the train, and is only
conscious at intervals.