‘MAN HUNTS.’

Evening Star, Issue 21518, 16 September 1933, Page 17

‘MAN HUNTS.’

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —There appeared in Saturday's ‘Star ’ an article headed ‘ Man Hunts, Modern Australian Bushrangers.’ If these are “ sensational, frue police stories,” as stated by Mr Philip J. Clancy, why did he not check the facts and dates? The Melbourne Botanical- Gardens tragedy took place at 6 p.m. on January 23, 1924. Three women and two men (but no children) were shot by a man named Lisk, the women and one old man fatally; the other two men recovered. Lisk, who was found by Russel street detectives to be responsible for the shooting, was not seen alive again, but on February 3 his body was identified by his sister at the mortuary. The arteries of both wrists were severed, and the coroner returned a verdict of suicide. The youth Bellman mentioned was connected with the Ashfield outrage in Sydney some months earlier. As I was an eye-witness of the Melbourne shooting and was in Packenham, near where the body was found, I am positive of the facts of the case. With regard to Batson, on February 19, 1924 (not 1925),. Batson, then recently released for the second time from the Kenmore (New South Wales) Mental Asylum, fired upon a picnic party at Jingelle, near the border of New South Wales and Victoria, mortally wounding two men.—l am, etc., Waenie. September 11.