POST OFFICE TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18890, 4 January 1927, Page 14

POST OFFICE TRAGEDY.

OFFICIALS SHOT. BY DISMISSED EMPLOYEE. (FBOlf Ol'R OWX COBRESPONDEXT.) SYDNEY, December 24. Once the larger capitals of Australia —Sydney and -Melbourne—had almost a monopoly of violent crimes, but in the last few years, the other State capitals. Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Hobart, have similar tragedies—perhaps evidence of their growth to large citvhood. Nothing more sensational has ever been recorded hi either Sydney or Melbourne than the midday shooting of two high-placed Post Office officials in Adelaide by a dismissed clerk and the hitter's suicide before the horrified gaze of scores of people. The fihootin" occurred shortly before one o'clock last Friday. The victims were Mr James Mason, head of the Postal Department in South Australia, who was critically wounded, and Mr E. J Dobel, head costing clerk, who was also seriously wounded. Their assailant was James Hannigan, who had been formerly a temporary clerk.

Threats of Violence.

Hannigan had been employed lor about two vears in the engineers dopartment About eight months ago ho threatened Mr Dobel and a woman employee with a revolver, and was then transferred to the departments workshops. On Thursday, he assaulted a bov apprentice, and on being reprimanded, kicked the sectional officer. For this he was dismissed, Mr Mason sending confirmation of the sectional officer's action by telephone. Hannigan was told to call for the pav due to him on Friday, and early that morning he interviewed Mr Dobel. tie called again about half past eleven, and was told to return later for his pav. Shortly before one o'clock, he returned and received portion of his money, and was advised to go to the cashier's branch for the remainder. A minute or two later he reappeared on the landing outside the office and walked into the office, whew a large number of clerks of both sexes were working. Approaching Mr Dobel, Hannigan pulled nut a service and fired two shots point blasik, at him.

Assailants Suicide. Aghast at the occurrence, the occupants of the room saw Hannigan make aggressively towards another s room, and' failing to open the door, lire through the frosted glass portion of the door in the direction of the official's chair. Fortunately, the official was absent. Otherwise, subsequent investigations showed, ho would have been sitting directly in the path or the bullet. 'With two undischarged cartridges still in his revolver, Hannigan ran quicklv out of the office, down, a flight of stairs, and along the corridor approaching the gallery running round the main hall of the Post Office, on to which Mr Mason's room opened. Mr Mason was at that moment leaving Ins office for lunch. •-* Hannigan fired at him, and the bullet took effect over the heart. Mr Mason collapsed. Hannigan continued to the ground floor, and was about to leave the building when Mr John IJeare, the State wireless inspector, flung himself on him, and with great courage pinioned his arms, although he was much smaller than Hannigan The alarm had already been sent to the police, but before the latter arrived, Hannigan jerked his revolver upwards, and shot himself through the head from below the jaw. He fell dead before the horrified traze of scores of passers-by. Before Haiinigan's body was removed, and for some time afterwards, the street immediately in front of the General Post Office wns impassable, owing to the ■nrcss of people, women as well as men, strusgliiig for a sight of tho revolting spectacle. The top of a news stall provided a grandstand for the more energetic, and a motor-bus pulled up nearby, giving its passengers an opportunity of a closer view, of which tliey eaaerlv availed themselves. Mr Mason, who is 64 years of age, and was due to retire next year, was made Deputy Postmaster-General in South Australia last year, and before that he had 47 year"' service with the Post Office in Victoi ..

Hannigan was about 38 years of age. He had been in Adelaide about four years. Before the war he was a mem-, her of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and afterwards had service in China. He served with British forces during the war. Ho was a member of the Adelaide policy force before entering the Post Office, and is' said to have suffered from shell-shock. He was of an erratic and at times violent nature. A powerful man, he took a prominent part in athletics a year or so.ago.