MURDER OF A BANK MANAGER.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8793, 14 May 1894, Page 3

MURDER OF A BANK MANAGER.

SYDNEY, April 23. A terrible murder took place on Wednesday in last week in the township of Barraba, which is in the far north of New South Wales, about sixty miles from Tamworth. Iwo armed men rode up about half-past one o'clock in the day, and entering the Branch Bank of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, obtained an interview with the Manager, aud sole officer in charge, Mr W. C McKay, and shot him dead. It was at first thought that Air McKay had attempted tu'deiend himself -with the Bank revolver, and that he had been shot in consequence, but the revolver has since been found in a cupboard, so that this belief was incorrect. Further details reached here to-day. Mrs McKay had been extremely unwell for a fortnight, and was enjoying; her first meal since her recovery, with her husband in their dining K»m, when he was called into the banking chamber by the robbers. The door had been left open that he might have a full view of that apartment, and as he latched the door behind him Mrs McKay then heard an altercation between her husband and the strangers. The words which reached her seemed to indicate that her husband was refusiug some request, for she heard her husbaad say "No, not if I die for it." Instantly afterwards there come the sound of men struggling, followed by the snap of a revolver shot. Mrs McKay, who had been attracted to the door by the noise of wrangling and struggling, tried in vain to open it thatshemiahteuierthe bank, but failing this, she called out loudly for help. Her shrieks were answered by "a bullet shot sent through the door, evidently with the object of silencing her. Nothing daunted,-• however, she again called out, and another bullet was sent crashing through the woodwork. She then rushed outside the house, calling out " Murder ; Mr McKay is shot, and the Bank is being fobbed."" Her outcry must have alarmed the robbers, for they decamped. As they passed out of the Bank one of the men covered her with his revolver, but she took ooa'oticeof this, and continued to scream. Directly afterwards she rushed inside again, the dining-room door leading into *«c w&king chamber open. Oα the floor of tee banking chamber her husband was- •% v,l on his back breathins his last, the bullet tired at bim having paseed through Ins head. Help quickly arrived, *o« immediately precautions were taken to guard the gold, silver, and cheques whi "were lying on the bank room table. Amongst those who were attracted to the bunk by the outcry were Mr Turner and a Air St. Clair. I he former saw the two iueu come out, and irahook their horse?, which were tied to a fence outside the bank. They mounted their fcorses. ana as he got ". lose to thenl cr.e ot them pointed a revolver at him. ±Ie dodged round the building and when he got, ou the other side the men weie a hunured yards away. He could identify one of the men, who rof.e a brown horse, but not the ottitr, who was mounted on a ehestaut. Mr Sinclair, who is a batcher, saw both men distinctly, an«l could recognise them. One of them poiu ted a revolver at Jrim also. At the ti:ne of the outrage the police sergeant and constable were away frem the lowsjskip, ant), strange to say when they were returning they met the two nisn about iui!e< out. They were riding at a-gallop, anl the noliee thought they were dtovers. The banking chamber ehoved signs 01 a terrible struggle, which seemed to have taken place "across the counter. An iuk-ijottle was upset, and there were sphiihes of ink all about the floor acd ou rhe counter. On the floor was a porcioa oi a beard. The robbers were not able to secure any booty; all tbe Bjink cash was found untouched. Mr 3 McKay's continued outcry evidently

alarmed the men, who had to leave hurriedly, and the jury at the inquest commended her conduct, as, had it not been for her braverj', the Bank would have suf. fered a heavy loss. A man was arrested on suspicion on Saturday; though so far he has not been identified, and the police have nothing against him but his suspicious movements. He is a shearers' delegate, mimed John Camming and well known in the district. He was walking in the ranges when fouud by the police, was in a distressed condition and had been without food for a long time. He said he had been kangaroo-hanting and had a camp ten miles away on tbe mountains, bat he persistently refused to show the place of bi3 camp, even though they offered him a horse to ride. Tliere is a beiief that one 0/ the miscreants is wounded, as children and settlers who haveseeuthestrangepair of riders, saythatone was supported on ftis horse by the other. If this is the case it would support the theory that Cumminj; is one of the murderers, as it would account for his refusal to show his camp to the police. At Gunnedah a local resident named McManus, has been arrested, but't-hc authorities do not attach much importance to it. They incline to the belief that thtee persona were implicated in the crime, though only two took active part in it.