PICNIC TRAIN FIRED ON.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 734, 6 January 1915, Page 5

PICNIC TRAIN FIRED ON.

BY TURKS OR AFGHANS

'- THREE PERSONS KILLED

A sensational affair occurred at Broken Hill on New Year's Day. The Inspector-General of Police received the following report from Inspactor Miller: —

Two coloured men, either Turks or Afghans, armed with rifles, fired at a picnic train, en route for Silverton, just outside Broken Hill on Friday, killing and wounding "several. The police went in pursuit of the offenders, who took refuge among the rocks on the hill. They fired at the police, wounding Constable Mills. The offenders were finally shot down. One is deati and the other wounded. Constable Mills and the wounded prisoner are now in hospital. Unofficial reports state that the train was crowded with members of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, en route to their annual picnic. When three miles from Broken Hill, the passengers were startled by the sound of shots. A cart flyirfg a,red flag with -the Btar and crescent on it was standing near the line. Two turbaned men on the cart were rapidly firing rifles. As soon as the position was realised the t?ain was pulled b3ek into the safety zone. The passengers raced b3«k to the scene of ths firing.but the attackers had fled, taking refuse in a rocky h'll in the vicmiry. Tus fl g and csrt wpre seizjc l . Whan tha news of the outrage reached the town a nomber of local infantry riflemen an} p-liec,-"fully armed, scoured the .country. They discovered th.3 fugitives a'irj opened fire. After several volleys, ona of tha dropped dead. Tha other was wounded and captured when seeking fresh cover. A third Turk put in an appearance and was taken prisoner. On ■ their arrival at ' tha town, an enraged crowd tried to lync'a the prisoners. ■ , An eye-witness, who ?;s3 in the train, observed puffs of smoke and 1 the sounds of firing. At first he thought someone was practising with a gun, but when bullets hit the train in all directions, "and he saw the Turkish flag flying, he knew something more serious vas afoot. One man jumped from the train viiih a view-to informing tha pol'jee. The Turks tarnedtheir are on hi-n, by t ho escaped. The attackers renewed their firing as the train moved oafc of danger. ■ So far as is known, three persons were k ; lled: fm. sanitary foreman at Broken Hill; Miss Me-Cowi-'i of South Australia: and . a man named Millard, an employee ;of the Umberumberka Company.:. All. we're- Shot through the head.':- Eight people were: wounded. - -[-,."'• r