SENSATION ON A STEAMER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9016, 30 December 1907, Page 5

SENSATION ON A STEAMER.

DRUNKEN MAN FIRES AT AN." OFFICER. SHOOTS HIMSELF AND FALLSINTO HARBOUR. RESCUED BY A STEWARD. BY TEI.EGBAPH—PKESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, December 28. About midnight a man named M'Tavish, apparently under the influ- - ence of liquor, went on board the steamer Quito, lying at the Queen street wharf. After an altercation with some of the officers, whom his strange behaviour aroused; he produced a revolver and fired at Souter, the second mate. Though only a few yards away, Souter was not hit. M'Tavish ran to the end of the wharf and fired at himself, the bullet entering the side of his face in front of the right ear, and piercing the flesh through to his mouth. The man fell into the water. The shots aroused Alfred Paget, steward on the steamer Hinemoa, who jumped into the water and seized M'Tavish, and held him until ropes and a life-belt were thrown to him, when M'Tavish was hauled out. M'Tavish was sent to the hospital, but is now in a critical condition. M'Tavish is unknown to Sou-r ter, and no reason has been assigned for the shooting, except that , M'Tavish was under the influence of liquor. HOW THE AFFAIR ORIGINATED. The second mate was lying down in his cabin waiting for the return of the captain, who was at the theatre, to deliver up the. steamers,papers preparatory to the vessel sailing early in the morning for Sydney. M'Tavish appeared very strange to Souter; "in fact, I thought the man was insane," the second mate declared. Seeing that the man had no business on board, Souter to persuade him to leave peacefully, but he declined. The third mate heard talking in the cabin, and went in. M'Tavish, who was sitting down, turned to the third mate and said:. "You don't know what a dangerous character you are sitting: so near to: if you knew, ybu would shift." The officer then noticed M'Tavish's coat bulging as if a revolver was concealed there. • M'Tavish was persuaded to leave the cabin, and as he showed an inclination to spend the night aboard, he was warned that he would have to get off. ' ■ M'Tavish resented this, and declared he would fight the second officer if he would go ashore. Souter saw a chance of ridding the ship oi the man, and said he would agree to fight him on shore. M'Tavish. got un the 'gangway, and went on to the wharf with the officer a little distance behind. Souter .was congratulating himself in getting M'Tavish clear of the ship without any trouble, when suddenly the man turned round ' and fired point plank at him. The Officer was then only a few yards away, still standing on the gangway, but fortunately for him the shot went wide.

lb appears tha*: M'Tavish purchased the revolver and cartridges yesterday ' afternoon. Last evening he proceeded down to -the wharf about 11.30, under the influence of liquor. He proceeded up the gangway of the steamer, and asked if the captain cr mate was on board. He was told neither of them was on board, and he replied: "I want to see somebody with brass buttons on." As he appeared intent on seeing someone in authority the watchman showed him the way to the cabin of the Second mate, Herbert Souter, whose cabin was very close to the Gangway landing.