A SYDNEY TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10129, 31 August 1898, Page 5

A SYDNEY TRAGEDY.

A GIRL MURDERED. FOUR OTHER PERSONS WOUNDED. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, August 30. A terrible tragedy was enacted in George street this forenoon, resulting in a girl named Lily Gairick being shot dead by a tobacconist named Lisson, while several others were wounded. LissoD is carrying on a business in the street named, and the girl he murdered was a sister of Mrs Lisson, and was staying" with the Lissons. Lisson opened his shop as usual this morning, and shortly after went upstairs to the rooms where the family lived with a traveller named Mordaunt. Subsequently a shot was heard, and Mordaunt, wounded in the head, rushed out. When the police arrived on the scene they found the girl shot dead. Lisson*s two little .boys' heads were badly battered, and their condition is regarded as serious. Mrs Lisson, who endeavoured to save the children, was seriously wounded in the arm. Mordaunt states that Lisson suddenly attacked him with a hammer, and after a severe struggle he managed to escape. Subsequently Lisson attacked the other members of the family, and then attempted to cut his own throat. He was taken into custody. Latei. Mordaunt was a traveller for Lisson, and qua_.elled with him a few day. ago, but the latter expressed regret, and asked nim to come this morning and sign an agreement. It wa' while writing this documeniftn the office that Lisson felled him with a hammer. In the desperate struggle foi life Lisson dropped the hammer and rushed at Mordaunt with a knife. Just as the point touched the lobe of his ear his assailant slipped, and Mordaunt, breaking away, escaped. The wife, evidently hearing the struggle, entered the room, a_d threw herself upon the infuriated man, and prevented his pursuit of Mordaunt. He then shot at her, and as she wrenched the revolver away a bullet passed through her hand. Lisson then dashed out of the room, Avhere he met his sister-in-law. Meanwhile, he had picked up a shot-gun fully loaded, and fired at his relative at short range. The full charge entered under her chin, instantly killing her. The two sons, Victor and Rowley, nine and seVen years aged respectively, were the next victims, their father battering their heads with a hammer. A police officer smartly seized Lisson, who (contrary to the first statement) made, no attempt oni his own life, and went quietly to the police station, remarking that he wished he had finished the Jew (referring evidently to Mordaunt), and that he ought to have killed the whole lot. The eldest boy is making good progress. The younger is being operated on. The prisoner is of French extraction, but is a native of the colony. He is. a man of means and property, but has an ungovernable temper, and is regarded as a somewhat dangerously violent man. He occupies his time in the cell whistling and singing. So far the actual cause of the tragedy is not known.