SHOT IN THE FACE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 20, 24 July 1933, Page 9

SHOT IN THE FACE

BY MASKED MAN

RAILWAY CLERK WOUNDED

MOTIVE A MYSTERY

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHBISTCHUKCH, This Day.

A railway clerk named Leonard Arthur Lee, aged 39 years, married, was shot through the jaw by an unknown masked assailant at Addington Station last night, and was admitted to hospital. His condition is satisfactory. No money was stolen, and thero is no clue. The assailant, who decamped, used a rifle which he fired through the ticket window.

Interviewed in hospital Lee said that he was alone in the station at 6.45 p.m. when he heard a knock at the shutter of the ticket office, and ho wont to answer it. As ho flung up the shutter and bent to answer the knocking he caught a glimpso of a man with a rifle uplifted. Thero was a shot, and ho staggered back with his face pouring with blood. There was a sound of running feetj but by the tinio ho managed to get to the door'.iio onewas in sight, and he was too weak to make an immediate search. Ho called for heir), and was found shortly afterwards by two men. There was no sigu of the man with the rifle.

Lee knows no reason why he should be shot at, and attributes the incident either to a madman or a bungling thief who was frightened off by his cries for help. He knows.of no man who would ■wish to do him such gricvou3 injury. It was his regular post on this particular Sunday, and there was no likelihood of any other official being on the premises. VI cannot understand it," ho said. The. police at present arc equally at a loss. Eobbery was a very unlikely motive, as anyone would know that there was little money about the railway station on Sunday afternoon. In fact, the sum on the premises was not more than £,■!. In any case the method followed by tho shooter was hardly -that of a man who intended to rob tho station. The whole affair is inexplicable.

Interviewed by detectives Leo. said that his assailant was a young man about sft Gin in height, wearing a felt hat, and with tho lower part of his faeo covered by a handkerchief.

Detectives toil aj- arc continuing their investigations.

Tho bullet entered Lee's chin below the. lower-lip on the light side, and lodged in the neck without touching-an artery.

In his address to the "Wadcstown Jlen's Club on Sir George Grey, Mr. P. J. O'ltegnn mentioned that the second governorship ctf Sir George. Grey was from October 30, 1861, to February 5, 1868, not 1884 as printed. He was ejected to Parliament in 1874, and held his seat continuously until ho resigned in 1893.