YEAR-OLD ADVENTURE

Evening Star, Issue 18173, 13 January 1923, Page 7

YEAR-OLD ADVENTURE

MAN SURRENDERS ON SERIOUS CHARGE. HOUSEHOLDER MEETS WITH FUSILLADE. Mr Stanley Ewen, tailor, of Collins street, motored to his week-end house, Warri Yallook road, Macclesfield, with his wife and child, on February 17 last (says the Melbourne ‘Argus’). On arrival at tho house at 9 o’clock at night Mr Ewen found that the back door had been forced. A swag was lying near tho door, and tho kettle, which was on the st«yo, was hot. Mr Ewen, thinking that, .someone was in the house, called out, “ Como oat of that; 1 am armed.” There was no sign of anyone in the house, and Mr Ewc-n- lit a hurricane lantern and walked towards his garage. Suddenly two shots wero fired. Ono of the bullets whizzed past Mr Ewen’s chest and lodged in a wall.

A man, Wearing only a guernsey, ran from the direction of the garage with a rifle and called on Mr Ewcn to surrender'. Air Ewen dropped Iho lantern and said to the man : “What are you up to. I ant not armed.” Tho man replied: “How many of you are there f” “ Three.” re-’ plied Air Ewen. Tho man called on Mr Ewcn and his wife and child to stand in tho light, and they did so. “Now go into tho kitchen and get my 'doilies.” ho demanded. Air Even obtained (ho clothes and tho man dressed himself.

Mr Ewen humored iho stranger and suggested that ho should have a run of tea. Tho man agreed, and while drinking his tea kept his rifle on his knee. After ho had drunk his tea, ho said to Mr Kwo-n : “ Ton are a lucky man you wore not shot instead of silling there looking at me liko that.” Shortly afterwards ho handed tho rifle to Mr Ewen, saying: “Aron are a braver man. than me, although I was armed.” Tho man, who said that ho was a returned soldier, threw his discharge in Hu; fire. Mr Ewcn induced him to camp outside for the night, and ,in Iho morning he gave him break-fast and 2n Od to help him on his way. When the man had pone Mr Ewen reported Iho matter lo tho police. Tho police searched tho district for days, but wore unable to find any trace of the stranger. At 1 o’clock on Tuesday morning (December 26) _ a man called at iho Rntlierpk-n police station and stated that ho wished to surrender. Ho would not give any reason, but said that ho had been worried and wished to got the trouble over. Later Frederick _ M’Kellar was arrested and charged with having on February 17 shot at. Stanley Ewen with intent to murder him.