ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2058, 19 April 1907, Page 1

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER

ONE WOMAN SHOOTS ANOTHE

A. sensation was caused at Corrimal, a town about four miles liortl of Wollongong, New South Wales, on April 6, when what is alleged to have been a deliberate attempt to murder Mrs. Eliza Kennedy was made by another woman, Mrs Elizabeth Barclay. If appears that Mrs. Barclay, with her husband, arrived from Sydney about three weeks ago, and rented

rooms from .Mrs. Kennedy, a resident in Park street. Both women's husbands are employed at the colliery, and they left as usual in the morning for work. Mrs. Osborne, a friend of Mrs. Kennedy, and her two daughters, were also staying at the house on a visit. During her stay Mrs. Osborne slept with Mrs. Kennedy.

Early on the morning of the tragedy, Mrs. Barclay and Mrs. Osborne’s two daughters started off on their way up the mountain to pick berries. After going some distance, Mrs. Barclay suddenly returned, and, going into the room where the two sleeping women lay, she deliberately fired at them with a revolver. The report aroused the occupants of the bed, who were utterly bewildered at the suddenness of the whole thing. They were horrified to find the woman holding up an open umbrella, from behind, which she pointed the revolver at them. The umbrella, after the first shot, became enveloped in fhmics. Mrs. Kennedy,' terror-stricken, cried out that she was shot. Both women jumped out of bed, ami as they rushed at the intruder three more shots were fired. The four bullets hit Mrs Kennedy, one in the torehead and the other three in the stomach. The unfortunate woman, bleeding profusely from her terrible wounds, bravely joined Mrs. Osborne in the struggle with her assailant. In the struggle the revolver, a five-chambered Smith-Wesson, dropped on the floor, and the perpetrator of the deed decamped, but was afterwards arrested. No cause is assigned for the rash act.

TERRIBLE DEATH. PINNED DOWN AND BURNED. A fire occurred at a house at G reensborough. Victoria, early on the morning of 2S)th March, which resulted in the death of James Hawkins the occupier. Hawkins’s wife and her mother lived with him in the house, which was a wattle and dab structure. Hawkins was in the habit of getting up at night and going into the sitting-room for the purpose of having a smoke. This lie did on the night of tlio.. fire. Shortly aftci* getting up bo rushed into his wife’s room and awoke her, exclaiming, “The house is on fire!” She begged him to save her mother, who slept in .the adjoining room. After assisting his wife to a place of safety. Hawkins went to her mother's room, but in a few moments he returned and said, “Mother is not in her room.” Mrs Hawkins then made an attempt to re-enter the burning building, but her husband pushed her from the doorway. As he did so the roof fell and pinned him to the floor. Mrs. Hawkins endeavored to extricate her husband, hut lie was securely pinned. All this time the fire was spreadng rapidly and approaching nearer to the helpless man. After a final hut futile effort, to release her husband, Mrs. Hawkins rushed away to the nearest house. She returned with haste accompanied by a Mr. Rov. a neighbor. The bouse was then completely destroyed. Hawkins, lying prostrate and incapable of helping himself, had suffered an agonising death. After searching amongst the ashes, portions of the trunk of the unfortunate man were discovered by Mr. Roy. Airs. Hawkins’ mother had escaped before Hawkins went to her room.

Ati enquiry was held, resulting in a verdict of accidental death by burning, with no evidence to show liow the fire occurred. Neither the bouse nor the furniture was insured, WOOLLEN MILLS. UNDERTAKING IN SYDNEY. Evidently Sydney men are not dismayed at the prospects of the colonial woollen industry. A movement, as reported by cable a few days ago. is now on foot to establish in Sydney woollen mills qf an extensive and up-to-date character, with a capital of .£IOO,OOO. It is understood that the required amount has already been subscribed, half in London, and the other half in Sydney.

Mr. K. C. Hagon, of King street, who is largely interested in the undertaking, told a reporter of the Sydney Morning Herald:—'Wo have but one woollen mill in New South TVales; it is that of Ml!- Vicars, ft Marrickville. They make woollen tweeds principally; but the new com-

pany promise to erect machinery for the manufacture of worsted tweeds, nigs, and blankets We intend to bring out the latest type of machinery for this class of work, and also to import an up-to-date designer accustomed to design patterns, which is an essential tiling in manufacturing goods of this character. "With a population of one and a half million, it. is estimated that on the basis of the capital received the company will be able to enjoy tit least three hundred bands. In this way we in South Wales would be. able to manufacture our instead of sending it to Loudon to be manufactured, as we do now. Jn fact, at the present time the London manufacturers laugh at the New South Welshman sending all his raw material llume, and getting it back again in a manufactured state after paying freight and a heavy duty. At the present time there is a duty of 15 per cent, on woollen goods, which will be sufficient to enable us to compete with the imported article, and there is no reason to doubt that worsted and other wool len goods can be produced in New South Wales equal to anything made in England,.” , Mr. Hagon, in answer to further questions, said the site for the mills had not .vet been definitely settled, but it would be just a little, way, out of Sydney,