MANIAC AT LARGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1924, Page 3

MANIAC AT LARGE.

SHOOT:-. A I’ICNH' PAi'.'lV. *. lIAI.IAAM) N.Z- CABI.K ASSOCIATION. (Koeeived this day «t 11 :l . tn SVn.NhV. hob. li. While a j»ii• 11 ie l*n) ty (mm .linjielhe near Hum*' river .numherim: v -*' l " eating lunch a i'*-w miles from the tou ii-diiy*. a iiiau armed with a repot* !.- i,m .-ill,- suilileiily apiioa* oil IT ' *>i* the lei-h ami niter ihmnshiiio ih ■ v/eimon ilraniai i.-nlly opened a iu-ilaile, the bullets rtiiums like hail, ami helore the astonished vrniin liail time t* * talm covi-r Sheppard. (manager • ! hien! butter factory!. was ''nom-musly wounded am! McCraih ami Isn't'(both farmers') "ere severely vomul--1 ami another. Traiuor. ii .'ured. Ihe ,*ar 1 v look cover, draimitnx '-he wottrnled v.iih them. The man with the ride v - ; ,s c(-i>u to calmlv wipe the weapon uiih his lint and step hehiml a tree.

Till* nirnirkr-iv. none <>f wknni were annetl. crouched uiul.-r cov-r. afraid to a-' the man was seen anpnrrlitlv refilling tin; magazine .>1 the rule. Look-outs after an interminable wait , r ted he was ret ivalintr. enrol ully wateliing the party. l!:, e "I ’’ v„iiturcsonii> followed until the maii'iie. still carrying the rille turned aiifl ran. making for the rough enttn- ,, T \ mounted messenger was then despatched to -lingellie, ami tlm polme „ doctor at Holbrook, the nearest were uotilied. Tumbiivumba and Holbrook police, m i-led by armed townsmen and farmers are svstomati,..d|y searching the bush, and a cordon is drawn linking several townships, from which search parties ire organiser| i,„i owing to the wild nature o. tl„. count,-v. an earlv capture is not anlieipated. I. is believed the wanted man is Claud liaison, aged armed with a ofH militaw rifle. He is a native of the district and has been missing from home for some time. n was reported later he v. as -ecu ! Tankev-s Creek, for which tlm r».ui 1 • „ \ll t!)0 infill | jin* now milking. Alt >- • ! prod seventeen shots. Sheppard is not | expected to recover.