A CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 231, 23 September 1908, Page 2

A CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION

VOUNU iUN SHOOTS lUMSEUf. ' iiy 'i'elegra.ph*—Press Association. I Cbristchuroh, Tucsiuiy. About midnight a young man named Charles* Briginton wis found groaning ia Cranmer Square. Ho alleged that I iiu had been shot by a man wnom lie 1 could not identify, ijis vest was s:;en to bo smouldering near his heart. The lire was extinguished. Tile man's .story I was that lie had been sitting on a. 1 ■belMih awaiting a man with whom hn bad aa appointment, wliua another man, wearing blue goggles, came up and shot him. Jirigiuton said he was shot irom behind, but the wound was in the breast. A iovoiver and earlridges were picked <ip a short distance; away. One cartridge had been iired, I and three others had apparently missed I lire. The bullet had glanced olf the t man's ribs, otherwise he would Have been killed at once. As it is, he is not expected to lire. His story is doubted. ChrKc'hiirch; Later. Jfrigmton admitted to a detective that » lie .shot himself, adding that, the story ' about the mini with the blue spec- • t.K'les was untrue.

STATEMENT TO,THE POUCH. ATTEMPT AT SELt'-DESTIUICTION, ChrisU-hureh, Last Night. Detective Kennedy visited the hos-pi-tiil tliis morning in the hope tha Briginlon would confess to shooting him- 1 self, but Brighton denied that he had | ltlempled to take his own life and firmly adhered to his original statement that 'he had been fired at and wounded by a stranger. However, the detective again saw Brighton this afternoon and th'o latter then made a statement to the ejrect that lie had attempted suicide. Brighton made the i following statement to Detective Ken- | nedy, which he signed:— . "I, Charles Briginton, admit that tlie statement to a sergeant of police hist night was not true. 1 shot my- ■ self because 1 was despondent. . I sent Hie p.osteard the detective showed me to my brother, Which showed him my intention, I make this statement voluntarily."

It is understood that Brighton has been greatly troubled over his financial alfoirs. He recently figured in •Court proceedings, and au order was made against him for the payment of a certain amount, lie had got behind in his payments and Was being pressed to square up arrears. Dr. Orookcs, house surgeon at the hospital, states that "the man is still in a very critical condition. He is in too low' a state to permit of an operation being performed to extract tne | bullet. Briginton slept soundly durI ing the afternoon.