A SHOOTING AFFAIR.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 June 1919, Page 7

A SHOOTING AFFAIR.

FATHEE BADLY WOUNDED

SON IN CUSTODY

With a "Welcome Home" sign still hanging up over the front 'door in honour of the return of a son from the \var, "Ponlee," Tasman Street. Street, Bondi, Sydney, was last week the scene of a serious shooting affray. As an outcome, Joseph Walker (54), now lies in the St. Vincent's Hospital, suffering from bullet wounds in the head and back. His condition is so critical that the police have taken his dying depositions. A 21-year-old son, George, who returned from active service on Friday, gave himself up to the Waverley pclico shortly after the shooting. He was there charged" with shooting, with intent to murder. The early 'morning stillness and quietness to which the residents in the locality of Tasman Street are generally accustomed, was abruptly disturbed by the discharge of revolver shots at abcut half an hour after midnight. One of those awakened was Constable 0. E. Severin, who is attached to Police Headquarters, and lives in Phillip Street, Bondi—a short distance from, the scene of the shooting. At first the police officer was under the impression that, the shots had been fired by a crowd of hoodlums, bur even this weuld have been an unusual 'ocenrronee in the localitv.

He was just properly awake when shrill male cries of "Muni or. "Police!" pierced the neighbourhood. Constable. Sevcrin jumped out of bod. hurriedly slipped on a pair of trousers and boots, and, grabbing a revolver. made off in tho direction from which he had hoard the shots. |ln >.the meantime, Jose pin jVValkcr had rushed out of his home, followed by the rest of the family. He only went a short distance, however, and collapsed in the gutter at the comer of Tasman and Phillip Streets. He was seen lying there surrounded by a highly exciteable crowd of women clad in their night attire, when Constable Severin arrived on the scene. Eventually the women let the constable through to the old man. who was suffering from two bullet wounds in the head and two in the bach. He was taken to a near-by chemist and subsequently to St. Vincent's Hospital, accompanied by Constable Stoppe, of the Darlinghouse Station, who also lives near the scene of the trouble. The police report of the affray says that the son was seated in the front room with his two sisters, showing them letters he had received at the front. It is alleged that his father ordered them, to put the light out. and walked out of the room, with a hammer in his hand, to Iris wife's room, followed by his son. The next thing heard was two shots, and tin- father was seen to run out of the front door to tho gate, and while doing sc two more shots were tired. All of them took effect.