ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THE BANK OF VICTORIA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1120, 19 October 1883, Page 3

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THE BANK OF VICTORIA.

(Melbourne Argun.) About a.quarter to 1 o’clock on the afternoon of October 1, persons in Collins street 1 east in the vicinity of the Bank of Victoria j were greatly astonished, and doubtless much alarmed, at hearing three shots fired in i quick succession. The report denoted that 1 the shots had been fired in the interior of j the hank building, and a rush was madejhy people from all paits of Collins street and the places of business in the locality into the bank. Instead, however, of finding, as was at first hurriedly suggested by one person. that it was a hold attempt to rob the bank in open daylight, the spectators saw a man lying on the floor weltering in his hj ood, which proceeded from a wound in the head. A constable was quickly in attendance, and the would-be suicide was removed to the Melbourne Hospital, and admit :ed by Dr B rrett, who, on examination, found that the patient was suffering from a scalp wound. The person who thus made such a de'iherate and public attempt to commit suicide is Mr Henry Thomas, auctinner, &c., of Heathcote. It seems that Mr 'Dioinas went to the bank shortly before 1 o’clock, yesterday, and after passing into the main office, turned to the left to the hack of the inquiry office, where he encountered Mr J, Hoi row, one of the ole ks, who. in reidying to Mr Thomas, informed him that Mr Millar, the accountant, was in, hut was at that moment ensiaged. Thomas did not wait to hear any more, but turned round and walked away, muttering in a very incoherent manner somethingabout “satisfaction” and revenge.” He then walked into the public banking room, and, much to the astonishment of I he customers and clerks in the bank, he jumped upon the large round table which stands in the centre of the apartment. He at once commenced talking and gesticulating mod wildly, when the clerks and others in the bank laughed. He called out in a loud voice, “ Don’t laugh, don’t laugh,” and at the same time produced a revolver. Tins was a signal fm a gener d stampede, the clerks and customers in the bank taking rrfngs hehin I the pillars, &c. Almost imme finitely after producing the revolver. Thomas fired three shots in quick succession. The first went lush up in a hackw.nd direction, and injured one of the plaster ornaments of the cornice of the ceiling. The direction of the second shot could not he traced, but the third took effect under Thomas’ scalp, and he fell to 'he ground. For a dozen persons to rush and scenic him was the work of a moment, and it was then found that the remaining two chambers of the revolver were fully loaded Afier the wounded man had been removed, business was resumed as usual, and, except for the damage to the cornice, and the marks of h'ooil on the floor, in less than halt an hour afterwards all trace of the incident had disappeared