MANIAC FIRES ON TRAINS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1929, Page 3

MANIAC FIRES ON TRAINS

SIGNAL BOXES ATTACKED. SYDNEY, October 25. Police in Sydney are searching for an armed maniac who has been firing at trains and railway signal boxes on the main southern line. The first shooting occurred early on Sunday morning, when the Melbourne express was rushing through Villawood district, near Liverpool. Passengers were awakened by the shattering of glass, and many state that they heard the whine of a bullet. The train was stopped at the next station, and examination showed that a bullet had" passed through one of the windows of the first class sleeping car next to the engine. Police were .informed, and a search was made at the spot for the miscreant. But only an hour and a half later, at a different spot on the line, about four miles distant from where the first shot was fired at the express, a similar happening occurred in respect of the Melbourne Limited. In this instance four shots were fired, and woodwork and windows were shattered. At this second, report, police became alarmed, and a special force was rushed to the .district to track down the maniac. Bui; despite the efforts of the police, more were fired at railway property. A signalman at Pendle Hill, near Liverpool, reported that while he was (busy shunting trains on to a siding to allow the Melbourne express to pass through early on Sunday morning, a bullet struck the glass window of his signal box and lodged in woodwork near his head. He ran to the door and looked out, when another bullet struck the wall near his feet. Immediately afterwards the signalman reported he heard a car start and drive away. Another report from' a signalman farther south on the line was to the effect that a bullet also shattered the window of his cabin, passing over his head and out through a window in the opposite side of the building. The mystery of the shooting has baffled the police, as the shots were fired evidently with intent to kill or to do grevious bodily harm to either the engin.e crew on the expresses, the passengers, or the signalmen.

J A big force worked throughout Sunday trying to trace the car tracks which Were found near both signal boxes. On Sunday night and Monday morning special guards were placed in the signal boxes along the southern line, but no attempt was made to repeat the shooting. Late on Thursday night a report from the guard of the Brisbane express which travels north of Sydney, stated that shots were fired at the train after it had left Cowan Creek, on the steep down-grade to the Hawkesbury River. In this instance they struck a window of the guard’s van and lodged in' a mail-bag.