POLICE OFFICER SHOT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 179, 29 July 1913, Page 7

POLICE OFFICER SHOT.

THE I/TTTEI/TOH , SENSATION. DETECTIVE CARNEY'S NARROW ESCAPE. A sensation was caused in Lyttelton on Friday evening when it became known that Detective M. Carney, a popular officer of the local police force, had been shot while in the execution of a warrant (says the , "Lyttelton Times"). At first it was rumoured that the officer had been mortally wounded, but subsequent inquiries showed that although the detective had received a naety wound in the left side of his chest, it is not expected that any serious result will follow.

It appears that about noon a young man named Wilfred Edward Harper, residing with his parents in Cornwall Ter-

race, Lyttelton, called on the local agency of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, and, it ie alleged, obtained by false pretences a small sum of mor.e.v due to bis father, Mr. Walter Harper, for work done during the past week. During the afternoon Mr. Harper, sen., : called at the shipping office for his money, but he was informed that it had been collected already, and after hearing the description of the persou who had taken the money Mr. Harper immediately proceeded to the police station and laid information against his eon. Detective Carney, who was on duty at the time, owing to Senior-Ser-geant Ryan being engaged at an inquest, obtained a warrant and proceeded to Harper's house in Cornwall Terrace. THE CONSTABLE FIRED AT. The young man lived in a detached honse near the street, and on the detective knocking at the door he received no answer, although he states that he felt sure that his man was inside. The detective then went to a window in the front of the house, and whilst endeavouring to force the window down he was suddenly fired at ami shot in the chest. The window was covered with a sack, and the detective was unable to see his assailant. Detective Carney immediately left the place, and on his way to the police station calM in at Dr. Newell's surgery for medical attention. THE HOUSE BARRICADED. In the. meantime -word was sent to the station. Constables Thomas and Cowan immediately set out for Harper ; 3 house, ami there, a further effort wjie made to gain access to the room, but the constables, although they obtained a. hammer and broke, the lock of the door, found that the place was too strongly barricaded. HARPER ARRESTED. The police then decided to return to the station for further help. SeniorSergeant Ryan, in company with Constables Doak and Hart, then joined the party, and another effort was made to gain an entrance. This time Senior-Ser-geant Ryan, with the assistance of a spade, smashed the door and rushed ineide. Harper was found sitting on a bed with a loaded .22 calibre rifle in hLs hand, which Constable Cowan took possession of. together with thirty-seven cariridges. Harper was then arrested, und, escorted by the police, was taken to the lock-up. AT THE HOSPITAL. After Detective Carney had received attention from Dr. Newell he was conveyed to Christchureh. On' arriving at the Christrhureh railway station the detective stepped into a taxi-cab and was conveyed rapidly to the hospital, reaching the institution about six o'clock. Arrangements were at once made to search for the bullet, which was etfll in his body. It was found that the missile had struck the anterior axillary just below the left armpit, and the X-ray disclosed the fact that it was embedded in the Heeh along ide the chest. It had i not travelled very far, due probably to the fact that it had not struck Detective Carney with full force. It was decided to perform an operation in the morning and to remove the bullet. The detective lost little or no blood, and was quite able to walk aJong the •hospital corridor.