The Attempted Murder of a Roman Catholic Bishop

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 88, 8 January 1885, Page 3

The Attempted Murder of a Roman Catholic Bishop

♦ The Armidale correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, under date ofjthe 26th. December, supplies the following particulars of this extraordinary occurrence : — A tremendous commotion was caused in the Roman Catholic Cathedral here on Christmas morning during divine service. Juit as Bishop Torregiani was about to celebrate mass, a man named M'Cafferty walked up through the church with a ■word in his hand, and when he got to the altar he raised his arm with the evident intention of- striking the Bishop, but some of the congregation just caught his arm in time to prevent harm. As they did so, however, M'Cafferty fired at the Bishop from a six-chambered revolver, which he had concealed in his other hand and the ball passed through the Bishop's vestments into the- floor, without doing any harm. The man was at once seized and held until a policeman arrived, when he was conveyed to the lock-up. M'Cafferty works on the roads, and it is stated that he came from Tamworth to kill the Bishop. It is believed he is mad. The Bishop kept quite eool and proceeded with the service after M'CaSerty's removal, as if nothing had occurred. The remaining five chambers of the revolver were also loaded. M'Cafferty was brought before the Police Court this morning, and looked quite calm. The hearing of the case was postponed until Monday. • Under date of the 29th, the following later information is supplied : — The man M'Cafferty-Jpas-brouglit before the local Police Court this morning and committed for trial on a charge of shooting at Bishop Torregiani with intent to commit murder. The* prisoner intended two jears ago to shoot Bishop Torregiani, but fortunately the latter was not in the Cathedral on the occasion. M'Cafferty seems to be quite .sane., except on religious subjects, on which he is undoubtedly insane. He is a Roman Catholic, and says that the Pope, the Archoishop of Sydney, and Bishop Torregiani have . secrets which they ought to tell to their congregations, and then alt would be right.