THE ATTEMPT TO SHOOT MR G. P. SMITH.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 666, 2 June 1870, Page 2

THE ATTEMPT TO SHOOT MR G. P. SMITH.

From the Argus of May ldth ;w extract additional particulars of thi tragic event : • It wag' at first | thought that ;tb bullet which wounded Mr Walsh had only penetrated the Bkin> but r $ the morning Mr William Howifr hon. aurgeon to the hospital; cainfe t the conclusion jfrom the, symptomi that the bullet had penetrated part o the intestines, and that. consequent! there was very little hope of the' ui fortunate man's recovery. Uhfortta ately, the anticipations of a fatal cod

[usion were only too correct, and Mr Palshe became worse, until about 3 'clock in the afternoon, when he Jed, retaining his consciousness to the ad. The members of the deceased's

imily were with him all the morning, id until his death. With reference i the past career of Mr Walshe, we ive been informed that he hailed

Rom Sligo, Ireland, and was for two fears in the Dublin police. He arived here about 16 years ago, and oined the police force as a trooper. Ie subsequently became a member of he detective force, in which he coninued till four or five years ago. He hen went to Queensland, and re-

liained there until 18 months or two ears ago, when he opened two hotels ,t different times, both in Collingwood -one in Derby-street and the other in Uokeby-street. He afterwards took ;he Star of the East Hotel, Springitreet, which he was keeping at the inie of the fatal occurrence. This extraordinary outrage has ormed the principal topic of conversion wherever a number of people lave met together, and it seems to be jeuerally believed that Mr Supple was quite insane when he fired the shots, [t is said, however, on the other hand, hat Mr Supple was a man of very itrong feelings, and one who, when rritated on any subject, would work limself up into a perfect phrenzy of inger against those persons to whom he might bear any animosity. He once—about nine years ago —threatened to shoot a gentleman at whose hands he fancied he had sustained some slight or wrong, and it is said that when in the watehhouse ho mentioned the names of several gentlemen with ■whom he was acquainted being persons on whom be had intended to wreak his vengeance: When in custody he spoke in a very incoherent manner, and people who had been intimately acquainted with him noticed that for a couple of months past his manner had been strange and eccentric. jSTo doubt it will be sought to be proved for the defence, when the trial cornea on, that he was suffering under a fit of temporary insanity when he committed the crime with which he is now charged. With reference to Mr G. P. Smith, a repoat was current last evening that Mr Smith was much more seriously injured than was at first imagined. It was stated that there was considerable danger of tetanus setting in. Another report was to the effect that the bone of the arm was so seriously injured that amputation had been found necessary. On making inquiries of Mr Smith's medical attendant, Dr Molloy, of Upper Hawthorn, at a late hour last night, we found there : was not the slightest foundation for I either rumor. The wound was processing very favorably, though Mr 1 Smith was suffering from extreme agitation and excitement, consequent upon hearing of the death of Mr Walshe.

A post-mortem examination will be made this morning of the body of Mr Walshe, and in the afternoon an inquest -will be held, when some fresh facts may pehaps be elicited.