RUNNING AMOK AT FEILDING

Evening Star, Issue 10398, 20 August 1897, Page 4

RUNNING AMOK AT FEILDING

SENSATIONAL SHOOTING AFFRAY, The monotony of Feilding was relieved on Monday afternoon, between half-past three and four o’clock, by a young woman named Annie Looney and her father, Thomas Looney, residents of Waituna, taking possession of the town for about half an hour. At the hour named (reports the Feilding ‘Star’) they appeared on the scene, and paraded some of the main streets vowing vengeance on various persona for imaginary grievances which the woman believed she possessed. For the purpose of redressing them she had armed herself with a revolver and a supply of cartridges. The father accompanied his daughter apparently for the purpose of instructing her maiden hand in the art of sharp-shooting. The young woman appeared to have a particular grievance' against one of the bricklayers (a man named Gillies) working on the brick building being erected opposite Manchester square for Mr J. Darragh, and it was here that she commenced operations. She fired at the man in question, and this scattered the workmen on the building, who dodged behind bricks and timber to avoid any possibility of being hit. After going around the building she fired two or three more shots, which, fortunately, escaped striking anyone, because one and all displayed wonderful agility in taking cover behind every possible object for protection. One of the shots was fired at a carpenter at work on the building. Hearing the disturbance, Mr L. E, Reade, solicitor, whose office is opposite Mr Darragh’s building, was about to go into the street to ascertain the cause, but when he put hia head outside of his door he was greeted with a shot from the revolver, but the bullet went wide of the mark and entered the woodwork of the building; This warm reception induced Mr Reade to beat a hasty retreat. This rather dangerous procedure soon attracted a large number of persons, who, however, kept at a safe distance from the revolver, everyone admitting that the would-be homicide should be arrested, but they all waited for “ the other fellow ” to face the music. The two Looneys father and daughter then marched up Manchester street to interview a hairdresser. The woman here found that her glove interfered with her reloading the "

revolver, and her father assisted her to remove it. When opposite Clemen tson’a. shop the latter amused herself by discharging her revolver amongst some school children. but did nob strike any. A few yards further along Dr Charlton came on the scene and was about to tackle . e Y oman w^ea sne her revolver, and tue doctor received the bullet in the side of the head, which passed round under the scalp and emerged at tne back of his neck. •The doctor fell to the ground. The crowd, who were following at a safe distance, when they saw the doctor drop, rushed at the woman, and Messrs G. Foster and F. Owen were the first to seize her. When she saw the crowd rushing at her she threw the revolver away and made an attempt to escape, but only got a few yards. The father was seized at the same time by Messrs btunnell and R. F. Haybittlo, aud a few seconds later Constables Tuohy and Healy placed the “bracelets” on both the prisoners, whom they removed to the lock-up. The wound in Dr Charlton’s head is about two inches long, and the bullet slightly injured the bone. Dr Johnston dressed the wound, and Dr Charlton is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. It was believed that the father was also possessed of a revolver or some other weapon, as he had threatened various persons who were going to seize the girl, but he proved to be unarmed when searched by the police. The revolver was purchased at Mr Darragh’s by the father, but we have been unable to ascertain where the cartridges were procured. One of Messrs Bramwell Bros.’ employes refused to sell Looney a revolver the same morning, suspecting something was wrong. The affair caused a great commotion in the streets, which were full of people at the time, and the wonder is that there was not a number of fatalities to record.