Attempted Murder in Greystreet.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1391, 27 July 1874, Page 2

Attempted Murder in Greystreet.

Ax extraordinary attempt to murder by shooting with a revolver took place in Greystreet on Saturday afternoon just as we were publishing. We were thus only enabled to insrrt a few lines in a late edition. The circumstances of the affair are as follow :— The perpetrator is a miner from Corotnandel. named Alexander "Finlay. -while the intended victim is Mr Henry Davidson, clerk to Mr Young, butcher, carrying on business at the foot of Grey - street. Shortly after four o'clock Finlav quietly walked up to the shop of Mr Young and deliberately drawing a revolver from his pocket fired two shots through the window point blank at Davidson as he was sitting at his work at the desk. Fortunately both sh/its missed their mark, but the bullets mn«t have passed uncomfortably close, taking a line from the holes which they made in the wall to the spot from which they were fired. The other barrels were loaded, but Finlay does not feern to have made any attempt to fire off the remainder, putting the weapon in*o h'-s pocket and resuming his course doTrn the street at a walking pace. A crowd collected, and Constable Mooney. who happened to be passing on his return to town affer conveying some prisoners to Mount Eden gaol, promptly secured the author of the outrage. No re'istance was made, and Finlay accompanied the officer to the station-house, where he spoke of the crime he had committed in the most matter of fact way, stating amongst other extraordinary assertions that he believed he had only done his dntv. When searched at the Police Office the sum of £75 was found upon the prisoner. The most singular feature about the affair is that no motive can be assigned for the rssh s>ct. It has been ascertained that Finlav and Davidson were formerly acquainted at Ooromandel ; but there is no appearance of their having heen at any time on any ofher than the best of terms. Davidpon at thil? time was carrying on the business of a butcher at Horomandel, and Finlay dealt at his shop. So far as en he found out the business relations of the two were always of the most satisfactory natnre. Finlay was formerly in the Life Guards at home, and is said to be highly connected. He has been in the colony nearly twenty years, and has al-ways borne the character of a steady respectable man. He has been lately working in the Royal Oak mine, but is interested pecuniarily in the scrip of several claims. His speculations hay? been moderately successful, at any rate there is no rea°on to suppose that loss of money has anything to do with the attempt. Insanity is the only cause which can be assigned with any probability of being the right one. Some year or so ago Finlay had n. serions illness when in town on a visit Qinc« that he had been at times very peculiar in his conduct, but his behaviour has not been such as to cause his friends to believe that he was dangerous. He was brought up and charged this morning with the attempt to murder. He said he had nothing to say, and was remanded till Wednesday.