A MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1075, 18 May 1882, Page 4

A MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

Attempted Murder and Suicide. A most deliberate attempt at murder and suicide is reported in the Age as having occurred about noon of the 24th ult., in the Oxford Hotel, situate at the corner of Bussel and Little Bourkeatreets, Melbourne. A Hungarian named Arthur Sieber fired twice at a voung girl named Elizabeth Maher whilst the latter .w&sengaged performing some household duties in one of

the rooms of the hotel. One shot took effect in the girl’s left side, but the injury was not of a very serious character, the bullet, which was about three-quarters of an inch in length, and weighed 210 grains, being shortly after the occurrence extracted by Dr. Maloney. Sieber also fired at a fellow lodger named Mutulich, and at Constable Maloney, but both bullets missed their mark. He afterwards stabbed himself with a knife, inflicting a wound in his left side about six inches deep. He now lies in the Melbourne Hospital in a very precarious condition. It is believed that the deed was committed whilst Sieber was laboring under some impulse of insanity. Indeed his friends have for some time past noticed a peculiarity in bis manner which often led them to speculate as to whether he was really in his right state of mind. His demeanor was that of a restless, absent-minded person, and those who know him intimately have stated that they would not have been at all surprised to hear of his having shot himself some day. He is a Hungarian by birth, and arrived at Melbourne from Trieste on 3rd September, 1880. It is said that his relatives at home are well connected, his father having held the position of (lmperial Privy Councillor). His brother is also at the present time a captain in the Austrian army. Sieber himself held the post of petty officer for a short period in the forces of the same nation, but was brought up and educated as a scientific, farmer. He came to Victoria to follow this occupation, and for a few months was employed on a farm in the country ; the work to which he was put was, however, uncongenial to his tastes, and he was unable to establish himself in the position he desired. He accordingly returned to Melbourne, and during the Exhibition was engaged in the Austrian court. Since then he has followed various callings, at one time being employed as a butcher in Rus-sell-street, and more recently as a storeman in an importing house in Flinders-lane. He is only 25 years of age, of fair complexion, and about the average height.