AUSTRALIAN MURDERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2382, 14 July 1892, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN MURDERS.

Me. : T ;OUUNE, July 6. Two somewhat singular murders have been reported during the past week, one in this colony, and the other in New South Wales. At Avenel, in Victoria, Mr Anthony Doherty, J.P., a very old and highly respected resident, was shot by a neighbor. For some time there had been a feud between Mr Doherty, the victim, and a man named Norriss respecting certain fences. Norriss, who is a single man, about fifty-seven years of age, living alone, seems to have brooded over the matter until it became a mania with him. On Friday last Mr Doherty’s men had fenced oft' a road leading to a reserve on the Goulbourn. Norriss being near when the work was finished, remarked that he would cut the fence away. Mr

Doherty thereupon called to his son and a workman, who were moving away to come back as witnesses. As the men returned, Norris, who had a gun in his hand, and was five or six yards away, fired at Doherty, who rerceived the charge of shot in the left shoulder, which was completely shattered. Some pellets also entered the lungs. He was conveyed home and died on the following evening. The scene at the grave was of a most harrowing description, his family and many of his friends completely breaking down. The man Norriss, after firing the shot, went to Mr Watson, of Tabilk, and asked him to take him to Nagambie to surrender to the police. At first Norriss did not seem to realise the enormity ox the crime he had committed, but since the death of his victim he has completely collapsed. His trial is set down for hearing in Melbourne on July loth. The other murder was committed near Mungunyah, about fifty miles from Bourke, in New South Wales. Two travellers on foot were coming from Enngonia, and when about four miles from Wood’s Mungunyah Hotel they went off the road about 150 yards to a camp fire. They saw an Indian there sitting by the fire, and said “ Good morning ” to him. He returned the greeting. One of the travellers, named Smith, whose parents reside in Gumaracha, South Australia, asked the man how far it was to Mungunyah, and the black told him. Smith then said, “ That’s a big gun you have,” The Indian immediately jumped up, seized the weapon, which was an Enfield rifle, and fired straight at Smith, who received the charge in the left side. It emerged on the right side, having gone clean through him. Smith’s mate, named William Panton, was also threatened, but he escaped. He went for assistance, and when it came Smith was still alive. He was taken to Mungunyah and medical assistance was sent for, but he died at about six o’clock that evening. He was well connected. His mother and sisters live in South Australia, and his brothers are bank managers in South Australia and New Zealand. The murderer has been arrested.