AUSTRALIAN TRAGEDIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1998, 16 November 1888, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN TRAGEDIES

[Per Press Association.]

Melbourne, November 15. _ A sensational shooting case occurred to-day m the principal street of Sandhurst. It appears there has been a long-standing dispute between O'Keefe, a railway contractor, and Kussell, a sub-contractor. The men met m the street this morning. Russell drew a revolver on O'Keefe and fired two shots at him, but both missed the mark. The men then rushed at each other and grappling a struggle for life ensued. Before the bystanders could interfere Russell disengaged himself sufficiently to again draw the revolver, and again fired on O'Keefe. Thi» time the shot smashed tho latter's frontal bone, Russell, thinking he had killed his enemy, turned his revolver on himself and blew his own hrains out. O'Keefe now lies m a dangerous condition. A German named Gardner shot a man named Brown m Flinders street on Monday last. The wounded man succumbed to the injuries last evening. Sydney, November 15. A man named Thompson, who on the 29th ult stabbed his wife m the abdomen with a large butcher's knife, was to-day brought up on a charge of wilful murder. The defence set up was that the death of the woman was accidental, and after hearing the evidence and dying depositions of the woman, the prisoner was acquitted.