STRUGGLE WITH A MADMAN.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2797, 11 March 1882, Page 2

STRUGGLE WITH A MADMAN.

The Sydney “Echo,” of Feb 13, gives the following particulars of a 1 desperate encounter with a madman. Early on Saturday morning a madman named Dargue, said to have been recently discharged from gaol, burst into Mr A. Yider’s store at Major’s Creek, and, after a struggle, was shot by Mr Cobb, Mr Vidor’s manager. The following is Mr Cobb’s account of the occurrence : At one o’clock this (Saturday) morning, Mrs Cobb and I were alarmed by someone knocking down our front gate, and immediately, after by a fearful blow, which came in with a crash, and I, jumping up to see what it was found myself wrestling with a very powerful man, who I immediately discovered to be Dargue, recently discharged from gaol. The poor fellow was mad, and ho forced open the bedroom door, and, notwithstanding that I tried'ray utmost to thwart him, ho got me down and held me. 1, fearful of being stabbed or injured every minute rolled to Mrs Cobb for nay revolver and managed to free myself just as) : she handed it to mo, I _ fired at him in the dark and hit him in the hock, the blood gushing out over the bedclothes and bedroom lloor, Mrs Cobb meanwhile rushing for assistance. Soon the neighbours came to our help, Mr O’Brien among them, who arrested Dargue, and sent for the doctor, who arrived at five a.m. On examining the wound it was found that the bullet had entered the left side of the face, hit the jaw bone, a portion of which it carried with it, traversed all the muscles of the neck, and, astonishing to state, missed all the arteries, lodging at length just

under the right ear. The doctor, who is relieving Dr Llewellyn, extricated the bullet skilfully, and did all ho could for him until this afternaon, when bo will see him in Braidwood. Ho lies in a dangerous state. But who is to blame for this ? Who allowed him to boat large? Everyone knew he was not right, and I only t' ank God that my wife and myself are not. murdered. She is ill after the excitement and no wonder.