DOCTOR ATTACKED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 956, 26 April 1930, Page 12

DOCTOR ATTACKED

PRETENDED HE WAS DEAD ARMED MANIACS ASSAULT #■ According to Dr. Charles Maitland Pattison, he saved his % life by lying as if he were dead after he had been shot at Palm Island. Queensland, by the superintendent. Robert Curry. At the time, Curry fired buildings on the island, and his two children were burned to death. Mrs. Pattison was also shot, and Curry was afterward shot dead by a native. Dr. Pattison said he was awakened at 1 a.m. by a rifle shot which shattered a jug and basin on the washstand. “I jumped out of bed and made for my office where I kept arms and ammunition,” he went on. “I only got as far as the end of the bed when there was another report and I felt a stinging pain. I fell to the ground and in a semi-conscious condition became aware that Curry was standing straddle-legged over me. “He was bootless, and the muzzie of his rifle was within three or four inches of my face. “I did not move an inch and. presently Curry laughed and gave my inanimate body a couple of kicks and moved away three or four feet. “Three more shots rang out :.n quick succession, and then Curry jumped over the verandah and disappeared.” Wife Crawled to Him Witness said that ten minutes later he heard his wife moaning. He could not move because of his wounds, and his wife crajvled over to him and dressed his wounds. Inspector Loch: Did you at any time instruct one of the aborigines to shoot Curry, where Curry had shot 3’ou? —I have no recollection whatever of having used the words. Pattison said that his relations with Superintendent Curry were absolutely friendly up to last Christmas. At* that time a difference took place, and* Currv assaulted him. As a result of that assault a magisterial inquiry was held at Palm Island about a week before the tragedy. Curry -half a dozen times had threatened to shoot white residents of the island if they ever reported him. '’Shoot You First” One day he said to witness, “I’ll.

shoot you first. Pat. because all tr rest would be frightened aud go bus! * Cross-examined by Mr. Townl ey | 0 Curry's family, witness denied armi°» the natives or instructing them shoot Curry. Ethel Maitland Pattison, wife the previous witness and matron or Palm Island Hospital, said that m consequence of the assault at Chris, mas by Curry upon her husband S h = visited Curry and told him he would have to keep his hands off the doctor Sheet as Bandage “I intend to kill that man.” Curry’s reply. On the night of the tragedy wit* is , was awakened by the sound of threshots, and she felt a stinging pjJ in the wrist and neck. “I jumped out of bed. " said Mrs Pattison. “and ran toward the dooJust as I reached the door 1 felt th'.' hot barrel of a gun against my heart and the next thing I remembered waj my husband calliug out to me two hours later. “I crawled over to him. dragged him into the room, and dressed his wound with a sheet which 1 tore up’ On the following day witness, with her husband, was removed to th. Townsville Hospital. The inquiry was adjourned.