THE FEUD & THE RIFLE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 21 October 1913, Page 8

THE FEUD & THE RIFLE.

MATAWAI SENSATION. "TIRED OF HIS TORMENTORS." (By Telcirraiih—Pr«s3 Association.) Gisborne, October 20. A sensational shooting affray occurred about three miles beyond Matawai, the head of tho construction works on tho Gisborne-Motu railway on Sunday morning An elderly man, named Michael Mannix, who lives by himself in a camp opposite ono of tho railway boardinghoußCS came out of his tent about &.30 a.m. armed with a Winchester riflo, and fired at a man named John. Fitzgibbon. Tho ' ball struck Fitzgibbon in the right legs just above the knee, and passed through tho leg. Mrs. Porter, keeper of the boardinghouse, who was an eyewitness of the. occurrenco, callo dout: "For God's sake don't shoot I" but Mannix is reported to have deliberately raised the riilo a second time and again firod at Fitzgibbon. The shot- on this occasion did not tako effect. Mannix then said: "1 ara sorry I did not hit him in the head," and calmly walked back into his tent. The local police officer, Constable Butterworth, was immediately notified, and he arrested Mannix at his camp. Tho injured man, Fitzgibbon, wrs attended to by district Nurse Grcenslade, and brought to Gisborne by this morning's train, and taken to tho Qisbomo Hospital. Mannix was brought down by train tliis morning to Te .Karaka where ho appeared before Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., charged with shooting with intent to murder. Ho was remanded to appear at Gisborne on Monday r.ext. From inquiries made it appears that thero has been a feud between tho two men dating back to December last. Maimix, who is now in tho Gisborne Gaol, has been a cripple through rheumatism for 6(ime months past, and has been unable to work. He has, lie states, been subject to a great deal of chaff from ■tho men, Fitzgibbon being the ringleador. Mannix brooded over this to such an extent that, some months ago, he camo into Gisborne and consulted a lawyer on the matter. He was advised to tako no notice of the "barracking" and this led him to tlio opinion that thero was ono law for the rich and another for the poor. Ho then decided to tako the law into his own hands and, by shooting,at- his tormentor, to compel the caso to como before the Court. Ho declared to tho police that ho was simply carrying out the unwritten law, and felt happior after shooting Fitzgibbon than ho had dono for months. Fitzgibbon hails from tho Waimata district.