BATTLE AT DUBBO

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 70, 23 March 1920, Page 7

BATTLE AT DUBBO

POLICE AND SUPPOSED MANIAC.

(raojf our., own correspondent.)

SYDNEY, 16th March,

There was an extraordinary occurrence in Dubbo, a country town in New South Wales, during last Saturday night. A man, who it was subsequently learned had lost his reason, and imagined that everyone wanted to kill.him, secured a pea rifle and hundreds of cartridges, and retired to the golf links, about a' mile from the town." He placed himself in a strategic position, and. proceeded to fire at every moving thing on an adjoining street. It. was some time before the residents of that sleepy place realised that they were being shot at, and then the police were informed.

A sergeant and two .constables . went out, and advanced very. Cautiously over the links. It took them a- lone time to locate the maniac, and a longer time, to loam that they could not stalk him successfully. The maniac continued '.o shoot at distant vehicles, and the sergeant got a frullet through his., cap, and from then on travelled on hands and knees. The positions of the' police were sniped for nearly three hours. The police got tired of the game. The man .with the gun seemed tireless and his ammunition inexhaustible—so they sent for <i shot-gun. As the constable^vas returning with the gun, lit provided a tempting mark, for the madman, and bullets whistled . all around him. He finished the 'journey in undignified manner. Tho police then fired several'shbti? from the shot-gun in the direction "lof-"tho madman, but he was not appreciably disturbed. They did not' wish to use.! a rifle against the unfortunate creature— yet he was a dangerous -public menace, and they began to fear they would have to kill him. Then, at about 3 a.m.,,when the whole neighbourhoods was 'aroused, the madmaa bolted, lacing away across tho links. The.police.chased him. He turned and tried to shoot a constable, but the Bergeant, .with, a great leap, caught the rifle and knocked him down, and he was quickly overpowered. He proved to be a powerfully-built man of about 40, well-known in the district, and a teetotaller: and non-smoker.