MAN SHOT DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 167, 15 July 1907, Page 4

MAN SHOT DEAD.

Outside tne Ultimo Hotel, at the corner of Ultimo-road and Quay-street 'Ultimo, Albert . Victor Welsh, commonly known as "Paddy" Welsh, was' saot through the heart by Walter Scott Laid, law, a coal-lumper's winchman.

The affair caused a great sensation jn the locality, the deceased being generally spoken of as a quiet man, who was pomJ lar throughout the whole district. The Civil Ambulance was on the scene of the shooting a few minutes after it.took place, and conveyed the injured man- to the Sydney Hospital, but on arrival at that institution life was pronouncedilto be extinct.

Mrs. Moran, the keeper of the Ultima - Hotel, said that Welsh was an old in»- .■• tomer at the house, and he was a very quiet and greatly respected man. About 8 o'clock he went into" the 3d. 'bar in ■ company with Laidlaw. They stopped ■<■' there until five minutes before eleven o'clock, and had two or three drinks. There was nothing strange about th* manner of either, and when they left the •' hotel did not seem to be quarrelsome* srt all. Almost immediately aftenraidir however, voices were heard in the street and it seemed as though an altercation was going on. Little notice was iak'ea ■ of this, but a minute later two shotswere heard, followed by three more. Mrs. Moran rushed downstairs, and saw the deceased being carried, intb hen . parlour from Ultimo-road. Laidlaw iaU lowed him closely. •■..>/ , John Conway, a barman working af: . the hotel, outside of which the .tragedy close to the footpath, and left the bar shortly before il- ' Almost immediately afterwards, "he heard two shots seemingly just "outside the southern door. Springing over the bar, he rushed' outside and saw .the (jeceased lying on his back in the roadVay sclose to the footpath, and Sfjaidlaw;'' standing near him with a revolvet in nis hand. Laidlaw then fired;. three . more shots, but fortunately did not. hit anybody. Somebody then said; "What are you doing with the revolver now.} ,, Laidlay replied "Here it is," and.handej' '• it over. Conway, with the assistance of others, who were standing' near, removed the injured man to the parlour o£ the hotel, and Laidlaw followed. .-' - Constable Williams and' Plain-clothes

Constables Surridge and Soutter, Wrta were on duty in the vicinity, hastened I to the scene of the tragedy, and arrested Laidlaw, whom they escorted W N«fc--2 Police Station, where he was charged with feloniously killing Albert Victor Welsh. ■ ■:;. ,--:^V': :

Laidlaw stated that he was • holding j his revolver in his hand and rubbing it with is coat, when Welsh said to» nmn« ber of others who were in their'conw pany, "Let us take it from him an<fgek . to him." Then they attempted; : tS :;; get_:-: his revolver, and he fired the shots, r Albert Welsh, the victim of the'affair,-, was a single man. and lived with',& people in Engine-street, Ultimo/ laii".'*' law is also a single man, living in Com-■■■■■• monwealth-street, Sydney. ■ ■.