ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 97, 8 May 1880, Page 2

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

(By Telegraph.) Auckland, May 6. An attempted murder took place last , night, at Wangarei. Between eight and nine o’clock, Mr. Washer came into township and reported to Constable mond that James Smith had attempted murder him and his wife by firing two rounds of ball cartridge at them from a six - barrelled revolver. On Constable Hammond visiting the scene of the outrage, he found a revolver on the floor with two chambers empty and four loaded. One of the balls was found lodged in the leather of Washer’s braces, at the back. After the shots were fired, the two men closed, and a sheath knife dropped from the would-be assassin’s coat. Meantime, Mrs. Washer,, who was present at the time, had succeded in making her escape to a neighbour’s house, where she gave the alarm. No reason can as yet be assigned for the outrage. Before the constable had arrived, Smith had succeeded in making his escape. Constable Hammond was in search of him the whole night, but without success. In the meantime, the search still continues. Smith is supposed to be concealed somewhere in the bush.

Auckland, May 7.

Smith, the Frenchman, who attempted to shoot the woman Washer, and her husband, at Wangharei, has been arrested. A further telegram shows that Smith made an improper proposal, to Washer’s wife, which she rejected. James Smith, for attempted murder of Mr. and Mrs. Washer, at Wangarei, was committed for trial.