AFTER SEVEN YEARS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 53, 26 November 1930, Page 11

AFTER SEVEN YEARS

Melbourne Murder Trial DAYLIGHT SHOOTING CASE (Rec. November 25, 11 p.m.) Melbourne, November 25. There is tremendous interest in the trial of Richard Buckley, aged 67, a bootmaker, on a charge of the murder of Thomas Berriman, a bank manager who was shot dead on October 8, 1928. Angus Murray, a notorious criminal, was hanged- in 1924 for his part in this crime. The police arrested Buckley on September 30 under sensational circumstances. The Crown alleges that he actually fired the revolver and stole the bag containing £lB5O, since when he has eluded arrest. The Crown Prosecutor pointed out that Buckley in the meantime had grown a beard and moustache which made identification by witnesses more difficult, and that a request to Buckley’s solicitor that Buckley should agree to be shaved had been disregarded. Buckley had told the police that he did not know Murray,- but admitted that he had been hiding for a number of years, though he had never been out of the State. The trial is likely to last four days. Crowds waited from 6.30 a-m. to gain access to the court. While Mr. Berriman, manager of the Commercial Bank at Hawthorn, was approaching the Glenfarrie railway station, shortly before noon on October 8. 1923. he was accosted by two men. one of whom drew a revolver and shot him in the stomach. The other man then seized a bag containing £lB5O, which the victim was carrying. The men escaped in a motorcar, after threatening to shoot members of a crowd attempting -to pursue them. Mr, Berriman died soon after.