SENSATIONAL AFFAIR AT BROKEN HILL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2348, 2 January 1915, Page 7

SENSATIONAL AFFAIR AT BROKEN HILL

TURKS FIRE @N PICNIC TRAIN THREE PERSONS KILLED; EIGHT WOUNDED

(Bfic. January 1, 9.16 p.m.) Sydney, January 1. !A sensational affair is reported from Broken Hill. The Inspector-General of Police this afternoon received the following report from Inspector Miller:— "Two coloured men, either Turlt6 or Afghans, armed with rifles, fired on a nicnio train laden with men, women andchildroii; en route for Silverton, just outside of Broken Hill this forenoon, killing and wounding several. The police went in pursuit of the offenders who took refuge behind i-ocks on a hill,, from where they fired at the police, wounding Constable Mills. The. offenders were finally 6hot down, one heing dead, and the other wounded. Constable Mills and the wounded offender have been taken to the Hospital." Unofficial reports state that the train was crowded with members of the Manchester TJnity of Oddfellows, who were en route for their annual picnic. When about three miles from Broken Hill, the passenges were startled at the " nd 0 f 3 h o ts. A cart flying a red flag with a star and crescent was standing ilear the line and in which were two .tnrbaned men rapidly firing rifles. ' As soon as the position was realised the train pulled back into the safety The passengers raced hack to 'the scene of tho firing, but the attackedbad fled, aiid took refuge on a rocky hill in tho vicinity. The flag and When the nows of tho outrage reached town a number of. local infantry riflnmon' and police, fully armed, scoured the country, and, discovering tho fugitives opened fire. After several volleys one of the Turks dropped dead. The other was wounded and captured whilo seeking ' fresh cover. A third Turk put in an appearance, and was takon-prisoncr. On arrival in town the enraged crowd tried to lynch the prisoners. _ 'An eve-witness aboard tho train observed puffs of .smoko and sounds of firine and at first thought it was some one practising fifing, but when the bullets hit the train in all directions ho saw the Turkish flag flying, and ktie« ttul. it whb MS'nsthins two aetioMi ','',.„ • ~ .• , ftw «»' *W tawtnln .wilfc » MR P*. wforaww *>!»»».

The Turks turned their fire on him, but ho escaped. The attackers renewed their firing on the train as it moved out of danger. So far as is known threo persons were killed—William Shaw, sanitary foreman, Broken Hill; Miss M'Cowie, of South Australia; and a man named Millard, an omployee of the TJmberumberka Company. All were shot through the head. Bight were wounded. '