A BURGLAR SHOT DEAD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2639, 29 March 1894, Page 1

A BURGLAR SHOT DEAD.

Melbourne, March 15,

A case of shooting a burglar dead occurred in Port Melbourne on Saturday night. The occurrence took place on the premises of Mr John Maokay, a produce merchant. Mr Maokay heard a noise about two o’clock in the morning. He arose quietly, lighted a caudle, took up a revolver which he had handy, and walked downstairs, holding the light aqc| the revolver at some length either hand. The stairs Jeff down Mo the sitting room, whiffh was immediately behind the shop, but it was evident tu Mr Mackay that there was no one there, so he cautiously moved towards the shop, the door of which leading from the sitting-room waa open. Reaching the shop the caudle which Mr Maykay carried was nearly blown out by the current of air whioh was borne in through the open fanlight over the door of the shop, whioh opens on to Bay street. For this reason it was difficult to see around the shop, and Mr Maokay was peering from corner to corner in quest of the intruder, when a hand reached across him and extinguished the candle he was carrying with a soft felt hat. As the light went out Mr Maokay thought that the man was coming towards him, and there is little doubt that he was, for when Mr Mackay fired his revolver, which he did in the next breath after his candle was extinguished, the bullet pierced the burglar’s breast a little above his heart. Mr Mackay re-lighted his candle, and seeing that the man was dead or dying, went aud gave himself up to the police. The doctor when he came found the man dead. He turned out to be Edward May, son of a butcher, aud born in the house next door to that in which he was shot. He turned out a worthless character, and has been convicted several times of vagrancy and larceny. To a reporter Mr Mackay said- “I am c*ry much grieved at rhat has been done, but I don’ i, tiij i;L_ i did Along. My place was broken into cr-riy in December fact, and I behove that thin same man was guilty of it. I have boon very cautious ever since, and night after night I have sat up until midnight waiting for the fellow, for 1 knew he would come back. 1 could not see to take any aim, but I know I had shot him, for he groaned aud stumbled past me into the sitting-room ■ He fell down aud paitly got up again, am. then fell again with his head on the fender, and it cut his nose. People may say 1 have done a service to the com munity, but I would much rather it hud not come to my lot.”