ARMED CORSICAN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1541, 10 September 1912, Page 7

ARMED CORSICAN.

DESPERATE FIGHT WITH THE POLICE. t;wo lives lost,; .. V THRILLING STORY PKOM No'l'MEi (By Telccraph.—Special Correspondent.! Auckland, September 0. A thrilling story, recalling tho ind dents of the fight between tho police and the Parisian motor bandits, comes from Noumea. The Sydney correspondent of tho "Herald" obtained tlio news by the steamer St. P.icifiquo, from Caledonia. The principal nclor was a Corsican Hckct-of-leavo man, named Francoschi who, in- a stale of semi-intoxication, attempted to murder his wife. ITo is n powerfullybuilt nfan of GG ycar.% his wife being 45 years younger. Ho was intensely jealous of her, and quarrels between tho two were frequent. '

On tlio morning of August 18 the wife expressed' a desire to visit her people'at Laoffl. Franceschi refused to give her permission, Ho( words ami n, blow en. sued, Fraiiccschl threatening (o kill her. Fearing that he would carry out hi* threat, Madame Vrunceschi rushed from tho Jlnrino Hotel, of which Frajiceschi was tho licensee, into tho ](uo Palcstri, followed by tho irate husband with n loaded gun. As they dashed up the street he fired, but fortunately missed tho fugitive, who rushed into a neighbouring, shop for shelter.

Meantime, the police were telephoned for, and they were quickly on the scene. Fraucesclti, to escape arrest, retired to the lower part of the hotel and barricade*} himself in. The Chief of tho Police called on him to surrender, but Franccschi, armed with a Winchester repeating rifle trad a-pair of, pistols, refused, and threatoned to "drop" without pity the first man who Attempted to arrest him. At this stage a compatriot of the publican went forward, and talking in the Corsican pntois, tried to induce him to surrender, but nothing would move Franceschi, who again threatened to shoot anyone who interfered with him. One of the police, going round ,to ths back of tho hotel, looker! through a keyhole and saw (ho publican taking aim at a couplo o( policemen standing; in;front of the hotel. Ho rushed round to warn them, and just as he did the defender fired, tho Jiall just missing tho plucky policeman's head. A. grent crowd assembled. The house was surrounded by soldiers, who also assisted tho police in keeping the crowd clear of the place. Several shots were fired from within. The police succeeded in reaching tho house by tho rear, and as (ho Corsicau was now determined to fight for his life, extreme measures were taken. They could notice their and it wm decided to cither sinokohiniout or that .ho should 1)0 asphyxiated. . Certain portions of the dwelling tvcth •chosen for placing'the smouldering cm- ■ bors,' and one man'who had ascended the roof and made an opening in which to start the smoko was shot in Ihn throat , and.' died 'instantly!. Two others who wero engaged at the opposite end ~of tliG room were wounded, but tho smoking process had got a good start, and it could bo seen that the prisoner was in trouble. A. policeman rushed the door, nnd as he did so the Corsican partly opened it and fired. Ho missed 'ajid - the policeman .retaliated, 'flie, prisoner was,struck, anil ho shouted: "You dirty pig.' Ytiu have shot me. I'll give you trouble." He wait using a repeater riflo and blazed away vigorously. Ho closed tho door again, but the smoke was becoming too much for him, nnd ho was forced to open it oneo more for air, at the eamc timo firing , wildly, .though without further serious result. Once again the door closed, but the fight, however, was ended. Several policemen opened fire through" a small opening in the roof, and the Cor. sic.au received no fewer than seven bullets in the body, but was still struggling for his ,life. Bleeding profusely and yelling, he maintained a strong position, but tho fumes and los? of blond told tlioir tale, and relaxing his watch for a moment was p6un|cd upon by the police and taken to i\\\ hospital. Despite his waning strength lio gave his captors & lively, time, all the way to the infirmary, and 'wheii a doctor examined him and located the bullets it wns thought that the man might lite. Ho thought; so himself, bmt the great loss of blood and the reaction after the excitement of the previous couplo of hours altered the doctor's views, and the man gradually sank and died about three o'clock, in the afternoon, ' ■ .'■ '. "■ ,'■'■