MELBOURNE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1924, Page 1

MELBOURNE TRAGEDY

THE GHASTLY SCENE DESCRIBED

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

MELBOURNE, January 24

The following graphic details wero supplied by Air St. John, the head gardener:—When he reached the scene of the shooting lie found a woman lying on the lawn dead with a gaping wound in her neck and almost alongside her another woman •tns lying full length, dead, with blood streaming from her. In her hands she clasped a crochet needle and the garment on which she had evidently been working when killed. Both victims were lying in pools of blood. Further along a woman was sitting with her head tliitown backwards and blood streaming from her head. Her legs

v.ere crossed and a b’oolf was lying beside her on the seat. Evidently tin- had fallen from her bands and it ami the sc. :■ wi re saturated with blood. Ah.,in tilt.y yards awn\ Mi St. Jolm sa« a while-bailed man lying lace down and blood streaming lroin a large wound ill bis chest. Judging tnnu his position it was probable that the man bad been silting sideways on the spot where the first shooting oeenried and Liirning io see what was tinmatter lie bad received a lull charge in the el ios L. Just then a woman rushed towards Air St. John excitedly saying that a man round the corner bad been shot and she was horrified lo see another (lead man lying oil the lawn. Air St. John van round to where the woman directed him and found, a mail lying seriously injured.. At this stage, at the suggestion of the. police, ,\lr St. John seen red a gun and a rifle and the sen roll was continued as cabled.

A I! HA I Alt K A BI.E FEATURE. .MELBOURNE, January JL The police have an incomplete description of the man who did the shooting, but it is understood that lie will be found. It is not certain whether lie used a rillo or a gun, though some wounds indicate that it was a rifle. The shooting occurred along one of the main footpaths where many people Jiass i.i the gates leading to the St. Hilda Road. The path is Hanked by shadow trees which made iL easy for the per-pc-lratur of the outrage to screen hims, 11. Alauy people "ere sitting about l.t lawns at the time having tea and otherwise enjoying the ipfietness of fill', gardens. As soon as the police were, informed they commenced a systematic search of tile gardens and throughout the suburbs. This was continued all night without avail hy hundreds of regular and special police. The only trace found was a forty-four calibre rejeattng rille cartridges with tin automatic ejector which were picked up near the scene of the tragedy. A remarkable feature is that the mar who aosweied to the description given by eye-witnesses "as that lie was intercepted by two special constables, v ho. alter interrogation, alliwsd I i to go.

U is believed the weapon used was thrown in fho garden ponds' which are bring searched.’' THE INJURED AIELThjITEME, January Jtl. The whoß ,hy continue., a line and uv cite: :1k: perpetrator of the Gardes. tv: ;• ". ... still ill. bilge I com tec Ihrls isu’orumtioii which the police ai'o aide to secure from eyc-wu-.nr-sc- of the iragedy, they have issued :t description of the man. He is aged tall and thin, with projecting, dirty teeth, lie lues a peculiar twitching of the upper lij>, and is dressed in a new blue slop suit.

This morning the police discovered a duly rifle box with JO unused cartridges. in a shrubbery near where the murderer was seen to leap the fence.

The description tallies with that of the man whom the two special constables interviewed last night, and allowed to depart. They heard that a fight bad taken place in the Gardens, and went to investigate, and met a a.an coming out. I hey asked him il ho bad seen a mail with a shot gun. He replied in the negative. He said he waif taking a stroll, and walked off town ids the eilv.

Of the wounded victims, Mrs Barry, of South Melbourne, has a fractured inw. and a wound in the back. John Moxliam, of Ksseudon. has v omuls in the back and the right, arm.

Mmi told the following story : - With his wiie ond children he was look ill" at the (lowers, lie suddenly Celt o; if lie was hit with a hammer 1)1 (he Si mill of the hack. He saw a i,,im rise from the grass CO yards-away, with a. rifle to liis shoulder. He shriek(d. and the man ran away. Previously Moxluun had heard, seven or eight shots. He thought' someone was shnoti;,g cormorants. Showing a wound in l.is hand, Moxluun pathetically said : “As an accountant, T shall not be able to do any more work with this hand. ] t is hard luck for my wife and kiddies.” M,s Moxliaai stated the man aimed i her alter -hooting her hushand. She ran. The man ikon dropped to the ground, and tired, and she saw him shoot a woman on a scat nearby. In their search for the murderer during the night, the police arrested a young man. who, however, was able to satisfactorily explain he was engaged a the same search. forewarned of shooting. MELBOURNE, Jan. 24. A remarkable 'story is told h.v M'' Harris, of South Yarn',, and a lifelong I' jeiid of Mrs SHohciker. who wa< shot in the garden-. She declared. she <!lv:imt the whole shocking incident 1, , t Thursday night, and was mirneu- {. usiv named of the impending doom

of her friend, and she only refrained from accompanying her friend because of tile warning dream, wherein she saw herself receiving her dead friend’s baby. The first intimation she received ni the tragedy was when she received tiie baby, just as it happened in the dream.

The perpetrator of the Gardens Ira gedy is still at large. One theory i that ho threw himself into a reserved near where the rifle was I’mind. The will be drained.

Dining the day a dishevelled, unshaven man walked into the detective office, and declared he wanted to surrender. He said he had done the '.limiting, hut had lest his memory, and did not know where he had been last night. The police, who believe him to be innocent, but suffering from mental trouble, charged) him with offensive behaviour. Ho was remanded for a week. MURDERER STILL AT LARGE. (■Received this day at 8 n.m.5 -MELBOURNE, January JL At a Into hour io-night there was no trace of the gardens’ murderer. The condition of those wounded is iiiiohang-