ATTEMPTED MURDER

Temuka Leader, Issue 256, 11 May 1880, Page 2

ATTEMPTED MURDER

Auckland, May 6. An attempted murder took place last night, at Wangarei. Between eight and nine o’clock, Mr. Washer came into the township and reported to Constab’e Hammond that James Smith had a tempted to murder him and his wife by firing two rounds of ball cartridge at them from a six -barrelled ver. On Constable Hammond visiting the scene of the outrage he found a revolver on the floor with two chambers empty and four loaded One of the balls was found lodged in the leather of Washer’s braces, at the back. After the shots were.fired, the two men closed and a sheath knift dropped from the would-be-assassin’s coat. Meantime, Mrs. Washer succeeded in making her escape to a mighhour’s house, where she gave the alarm., No reason can as yet be assigned for th outrage. Before the constable had arrived, Smith had .succeeded in making bis escape. C.m stable Hammond was in search of him the whole night, but with mt success. In the meantime, the search still continues. Smith is supposed to be in the Bush. M«y -7. Smith, the French man, who attempted to shoot the women Washer,an! her husband, at W.ngharei, has been arr-sted. A further telegram shows that Smith made an improper proposal to Washer’s wife, which she rejected. James Smith, for attempted murder of Mr. and Mts. Washer, at 7T»agarei. was committed for trial. _^