DESPERATE STRUGGLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 250, 21 October 1891, Page 4

DESPERATE STRUGGLE.

A FIGHT FOR LIFE,

FRENCHMAN SHOT DEAD,

News has been received ab Melbourne that Senior-constable Dungey, in attempting to arrest a housebreaker ab Muddy Creek" in the Yarra Glen district, shot the man dead in self-defence. The victim ia a Frenchman, and ia believed to be an escapee from New Caledonia.and was only known by the name of Joe. He was a total stranger in the district, where he first appeared about a fortnight ago. He commenced a career of robbery, and since then he has been breaking into houses in the daytime, and on one o£ these occasions he obtained a revolver and a Spanish stiletto. The police have been actively searching the ranges, and about 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon Senior-constable Dungey came" upon the man, and covering him with ' a revolver, ordered him to stand, which he did. The constable then threw him a pair of handcuffs and told him to put them on, and he did so, bub tho constable noticed that ho did not) lock them.. The man then, not being covered, suddenly threw away the handcuffs and made for Muddy Creek, about 100 yards away. Dungey, dismounting, caught him jus'b as he wa3 aboub to plunge into the water. A desperate struggle followed, both mon clutching the revolver. Finally the Frenchman being the stronger man managed to force the muzzle of the revolver down and pulled the trigger, but Dungey was able to throw up his hand, so that the shot did not take efJect. The struggle for the revolver was renewed with increased desperation, and again the revolver went off, tho bullet passing through the nape of the Frenchman's neck, and paeaing out ovef his left temple, killing him instantly, Dungey, who was much exhausted, reached.a selector's hut, and eenb word to Yarra Glen, whither the body was. taken, rf