SHOTS ON LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 249, 17 October 1908, Page 15

SHOTS ON LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE.

MAD STAMPEDE OF BROKERS, Albert Edward Harrison, twenty-three, an engineer, of Pennington-street, Rugby, should have appeared at the Mansion House, London, on Thursday, September 3, to answer charges of discharging a loaded revolver in the Stock Exchange, and of wandering whilst insane. The police, however, reported that Harrison was in Bow Infirmary unfit to appear. The charges against Harrison are the sequels to an extraordinary scene on the Stock Exchange on Wednesday afternoon, when he suddenly rushed in, flourishing a revolver and firing at random. It is miraculous no one was hit, but one or two members had narrow escapes. The man was an utter stranger at the "House." At 3.30 he had been noticed by one of the doorkeepers on the Old Broadstreet side walking excitedly up anil down in front of the Stock Kxchange. Making as If to enter the block of stockbrokers' offices, he was allowed to pass through the public entrance at 75, Old Broad-street. Instead, however, of holding on his way, he turned aside sharply and sprang through the members' door opening right on to the floor of the "House." The Exchange was crowded at the time, most of the members having returned from luncheon. One of them just caught sight of him, and was going to warn the officials, when suddenly the intruder, whose right hand had been thrust into his pocket, pulled out n revolver, and flred thrice in rapid succession. As he discharged the first two shots he was pointing his revolver downwards, and both of these bullets struck the floor, spending themselves harmlessly. The third shot was fired into the air. It reached Mr. Lewis Aarons, of Gresham House, Old Broad-street, striking his breast pocket. Mr. Aarons instinctively put his hand into his pocket, and drew out his silver cigar-case, which was dented by the bullet. He then realised that by a lucky chance his life had been saved. Meanwhile there was a mad stampede among the members for the exits, and two of them were hurt In the rush. The attendant who had seen the stranger enter bad kept his eye upon him. Rushing up, the uniformed man seized the assailant, who was standing as if dazed, with the smoking revolver still clutched in his hand. Other assistance was forthcoming, and the young man was given over to the police, muttering that his father had been done out of a lot of money on the Stock Exchange. Not within the memory of anyone living has such a stampede been witnessed on the Exchange. Some members actually prostrated themselves, conscience-stricken, so many declared, for their inhuman cruelty to the bears, it was conjectured, when sense had been restored, that the firer was an Infuriated benr, caught in the Trunk oi the Kaffir market, and that this was the only resource left him to terrify his torturers. It was impossible to distinguish, however, who were terrified the most, the hulls or the bears, for the" most rubicund