A LUNATIC IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1239, 25 February 1878, Page 3

A LUNATIC IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.

The passengers by the last up train from the South on Saturday last were somewhat alarmed when crossing the north side of the Eakaia river to hear the sharp report of a pißtol, followed shortly afterwards by a man with his arms firmly tied being removed through the carriages to the guard's van. The rumor then ran through the train that the guard had had a narrow escape of being shot, and the result proved this to be the case. It seems that about twenty minutes past five, a passenger went through to the guard's van and told that officer (Mr Jabez Heasman) tbat he was wanted in one of the front second-class carriages. He at once went up to the carriage, and on arriving there a man whispered to him that his step-brother had a loaded pistol in a bag which he was carrying on his knees, and that while he was speaking his hand was on the pistol. The guard turned to the latter and asked him to kindly allow the bag to be placed in the van. In a second the person addressed pulled a revolver out of the bag and fired it directly at the guard. For an instant Mr Heasman felt a smart shock on his leit side, but he did not think a ball had gone near him, his impression being that the revolver was only loaded with powder. He seized tho man by the hand and collar, and forced him on Iris back on the seat. Several passengers came to the guard's assistance and took the revolver from the man, who now seemed to be thoroughly insane, and was so violent that it was found necessary to tie his hands with a line before removing him to the van. The revolver, when examined, was found to be loaded in four chambers with ball, the other barrel showing that it had been but recently discharged. After safely placing the man in the van, the guard found that the ball had entered his coat at the left side, cutting through his vest and into the corner of a purse in that pocket, denting a shilling, a half-sovereign, and two penny pieces, which fortunately were in the purse, and ultimately lodging in the lining of the coat, where it was found somewhat flattened, and bearing an imprint of the coat pattern. The man is named T. W. Gr. Butler. lie came to New Zealand about three years ago, and started farming at One Tree Point, about ten miles from Invercargill. For some t ime past he has been rather strange in his manner, and a stepbrother of his (the person who whispered to the guard) was advised by Dr. Hannan, of Invercargill, to take his relation to Dunedin and place him in an asylum. Butler being told that change of air would do him good, consented to go to Dunedin, but before doing so went to Mr Deck, a dentist, to have his teeth attended to. While there, it seems that Mr Deck accidentally pricked his lip, and this has apparently preyed upon his mind, for when given into the hands of Detective Benjamin at the Railway Station he said, after bein g told the charge, " Very well, you can shoot me if you like ; it's all due to Mother Deck's poisoning me in the lip." The singular part of it is that, knowing the state of bis relative, the stepbrother should havo allowed him to purchase a revolver before leaving Invercargill and to carry it loaded simply to appease the unfortunate man, because he complained that he wished to protect himself from a lot of bad people who were constantly around him. The stepbrother seems to have allowed him to come through Dunedin, for on Saturday they both took train at Oamaru for Christchurch. During the journey along he said he had been robbed, and shortly before the occurrence took place he told a woman that she was sitting too close to him, and that she had better look out. The reply he received wag "O! you must be mad," and it'was at this juncture that the'guard was sent for. On the train arriving at Christchurch Butler was given in charge of the police, and removed to the padded cell at the depot.