A SATURDAY NIGHT SPREE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1033, 22 August 1911, Page 3

A SATURDAY NIGHT SPREE

AN AUCKLAND SENSATION. Auckland, August 21. A fiisherman named Thos. Madigan was shot in the head at his father’s house in Eglington Street, Parnell, on Saturday night, and now lies in the district hospital in a serious condition. Subsequently the police arrested Annie McConnell, a middle-aged married woman, on a charge of attempting to murder Madigan. The parties concerned have been living together for three or tour years, and the quarrel between them terminated in Madigan being wounded by a bullet from a revolver, the missile penetrating his right ear and lodging either in the base of his skull or in the muscles of his neck. Madigan was taken to the Parnell police station at 10.35 P- m - 011 Saturday. It was at once seen that he was injured, and on being questioned he informed the constable ttha he had been shot through the ear with a pistol. Being asked who did it, Madigan replied : “ That woman.” The constable asked him if he meant Annie McConnell. Madigan replied: “ Yes, she shot me at the old man’s place.” Madigan, whose wound was bleeding, was taken in a cab to a doctor, who, after examination, said that he was of opinion that the bullet had lodged in the base of the skull. The injured man was then removed to the hospital. Constables Magee and Gatward were despatched to arrest the woman McConnell and take possession of the revolver. When they arrived at the house they found the wounded man’s father, James Madigan, his wile, Mary Madigan, and Annie McConnell. All three are alleged to have been under the influence of liquor. As soon as the police appeared in the house Mary Madigan commenced to rave about Annie McConnell having shot her son Tom. In a statement she made to the constables she said ; “ Tom went to lie down on the bed in the back room and asked me not to allow Annie McConnell in the room. McConnell then took a lighted caudle and went into the room, and a few minutes afterwards I heard a shot, and I went in and found my son on the floor bleeding. He said: ‘Get a doctor, I’m done for.’ ”

Jas. Madigan made a similar statement to the police. McConnell said that Tom Madigan, Jas. Madigan, Mary Madigan and herself were all in the house together at 9.30 p.m. Tom Madigan went out and got a gallon of beer and two “ square riggers.” The old man was in bed. They were all drinking when Thos. Madigan caught hold of her and accused her ot familiarity with other men. He struck her twice on the head with his fist aud then went to the bedroom. She iollowed, and picked up a revolver off the table aud fired. She told the police that she did not know what she fired at. The woman said she had bought the revolver herself ‘‘as Tom was always provoking her.” A five-chambered revolver, containing oue spent and one unspent cartridge, was found on the floor. The constable arrested McConnell aud took her to the central police station. She will be charged in the Police Court this morning with attempted murder, and a remand will be applied for. Madigau himself was very much muddled on Saturday night, and could not give a rational account of the shooting incident ou admission to the hospital. The doctors said that be was iu uo immediate danger, and last evening his condition, though serious, was not alarming. The wound was examined under the X-rays at 11 a.m. yesterday, but the exact position of the bullec was not ascertainable. Madigau is a single man, 47 years of age.