| Show A 9 1 K A victim of ga iwho who strongly advocates of these criminals thus describes ills his experience of ga rotting in the columns of an english contemporary 1 I live in a large provincial town more than a hundred miles from london one cold winters night when ebenow was thick on the ground on my way home between the hours of eleven and twelve my ion keeps me out late of nights I 1 was suddenly pounced upon from behind I 1 and in ani instant a powerful pair of hands bands clasped me savagely round the throat I 1 saw no one and only heard one step before I 1 was collared literacy lite raly it was the work of a moment and although I 1 was within twelve yards of houses and distinctly heard voices and saw lights in the rooms ifould only breathe in a stifled whisper the words help help the grip once secure the knee in the back followed and I 1 was dragged backwards until my body rested on my heels and my assailants lap when first grasped I 1 had instinctively thrown up my hands in my pockets when I 1 was attacked to try and release the hug bug of the cowardly wretch but his knee was in my back before I 1 could seize his hands and in this helpless condition I 1 was forcibly dragged into a reclining position when nhen in this powerless attitude I 1 could distinctly see by the light of the lamps in the street Ga no 2 run from his hla hid ing place on the opposite side he was a rank coward with an anxious yellow face and restless eyes oyes and shivering with fear ho he came in front of me first gave me a sharp blow in the mouth loosening some of my teeth and causing blood to flow freely then struck me twice with all his force in the pit of the stomach not nob one word was exchanged between the two ruffians ans the blows in the stomach sent the wind upwards its passage from the mouth was stopped by the hug hugi of the assassin behind and in dropping off into a state of insensibility to all outward things I 1 have a bare recollection of my muttering in cowards and of experiencing a feel feeling ing something like ilke chagrin at not being able to help myself in the most helpless position a man could be forcibly placed in about ten minutes afterwards returning consciousness nes ness s came accompanied by long drawn breaths and sighs I 1 open 1 ed my eyes and looked around the as lassins sas sins hand had unclasped my throat I 1 was lying full length in the snow my mouth bleeding my right arm severely in injured red it was afterwards ascertained zu that t the small bone at the elbow was broken doubtless by the fall my clothes were torn from my body for in their search for plunder they did not stop to unbutton my garments my watch chain money in fact everything in my pockets even to my gloves were gone I 1 got up and crawled home not sixty yards from the spot where I 1 was maltreated mal treated with my eyes starting from their sockets my mouth running with blood my hair all dashev elied part of my beard torn out I and my clothes hanging about me I 1 1 tum bled biedl nto linto the house to the tho great alarm of my wife then in a very delicate state of health I 1 threw myself into in to a chair andr audr and alader alten alter partaking of a small quantity of brandy an recovered sufficiently to to tell toil my sad story the police were at once communicated with but without result the ruffians had got clear off after having my neck there was a blac kring of strangulation round it rubbed with oil I 1 was put to bed where I 1 lay for several days now ana and again starting up and staring wildly round in my nay sleep suffering terribly in mind and aud body from the shock shook to the system for fully six dix months afterwards so awful in its suddenness was the attack and such an effect had it upon my nerves that in the dead stillness of tile the night I 1 have started from my sleep jumped out of bed and examined carefully underneath under the belief that some one was secreted in the room my assailants never were traced I 1 lost over 30 in money and property had six of my front teeth loosened had the small bone of my right arm broken and had to pay a doctors bill of xio 10 the doctor told me that had I 1 not been a strong man the shock of the sudden attack would certainly have killed me and he consoled me by adding that I 1 had got off with mith a minimum of punishment and the ga must have been an ex expert p ert at his hia vile trade example we do not want precepts so much as patterns says pliny an example is the softest and least invidious way of commanding |
