STRANGE SHOOTING STORY

Evening Star, Issue 18057, 26 August 1922, Page 13

STRANGE SHOOTING STORY

ATTEMPTED MURDER ALLEGED. PREVIOUS HOAX RECALLED. A strange report of an alleged attempted murder has been made to Russellstrcet police (states the Melbourne 1 Age ’ of August 12). Although the shooting is supposed to have occurred on , July 25, it _ was 'not until August' 8 that the Criminal Investigation Department was notified. Meanwhile the victim had been treated at a hospital, the bullet was extracted, and he is now in a normal state of health. The story of the shooting, as told by James Branigan, farmer, of Mickleham, near Craigieburn, is that on July 26, at about 6.15 p.m., he had reached his home, at tho corner of Oakland and Craigieburn roads, in a cart drawn by a horse. Ho had been to the city. He had stepped from tho vehicle, ancl was unfastening tho gate, when a man came up to him and said, “Good night; do you know me?” Branigan replied “No.” “Well,” said tho stranger, “I am tho man who dropped you before on the road hero. You and Joe Ryan kicked me on Princes Bridge. 1 am going to have my revenge. Yon are mine. The man then took a revolver from his hip pocket, and, presenting it at Branigan, shot him in the shoulder. Branigan fell to the ground insensible, _ and was found half an hour later by his brother, who took him home. Tho injured mail was attended to by Dr Morton, of Sunbury, and later he’ was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where tho bullet was extracted from his left shoulder. Tho wound was not serious, and ho is now an out-patient at the hospital. On the morning following the shooting a_ handkerchief, in which were tied a 2s piece and three pennies, and on which was inscribed the name Frank Darcey, was found near the gate. The handkerchief also contained an address in Latrobc street, faintly written in load , pencil. Branigan has given a description of the man who ho alleges shot him, but lie states that ho cannot identify him.

•In December last a sensational stoiy was told to the police by Branigan. Ho recounted how on the afternoon of December 14 he was met by a cvclist who, after stating that Miss Ryan “ had turned him do*n ” and that he was “ going to finish them off,” produced a revolver and fired two shots at Branigan. One bullet entered his thigh and the other lodged in the left arm. As a result a man named Sullivan was arrested at Sale in connection with the shooting, but Branigan refused to sign the charge because be could not identify Sullivan as tho man who had shot him.' After seven weeks’ inquiry by the police, during which time many-innocent persons were subjected to tho humiliation of police examination, it Was found that the story of tho shooting was a hoax.