SERIOUS SHOOTING AFFRAY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 17 December 1913, Page 5

SERIOUS SHOOTING AFFRAY.

the hansen case- ; ; ,

man named Hansen, whVia alleged to= have discharged a revolver at-Ski? was subsequently arrested. The injured man, who recently came with fcfo brother from the south to take m> tend, is now in the private hospital r* £SSS2f f ■"* * in * very Qlitksa

Different reports are current as to* the circumstances in which the shooting occurred, but an eye-witness states as follows: "There were, four or five* or us at the Kirikopuni store last evening. Allan being one of us. -. Hansen, appeared peculiar in his manner, «n«F it was suggested that he had been drinking. He was standing at the inside of the counter, and said to Allan 'You go up to the Tangiteroria Hotel and get some liquor.' Allan replied, .No am not going -to Tangiteroria. r HJansen persisted, and laying his hand: on a revolver he said to Allan, 'If-yon-don't go I'll shoot you.' Evidently Allan didn"t take /him seriously, foir he replied, 'Shoot away.' "Hansen thereupon presented the revolver to Allan's -breast and fired. They bullet pierced Allan above the heart,. went through the*, body, and'then through the wall. As Allan fell Hansen exclaimed, 'My God! "What have^ - I done ? The other men standing" by picked Allan up and secured Hansen, whom they locked lip in the butcher*!* shop. The police and Dr Crump wereruns, up over the private telephone, .■ and were soon .in attendance."

Allan was found to be in- very critic : cal condition, and afterwards he war placed on a stretcher, and taken to* Dargaville by launch. He is now in the private hospital, and Dr Crump has hopes of his recovery. Hansen is in the Dargaville. police, cell. It instated that Allan and Hanson lave . -"■' always been good. friends during- their ' acQuaintance.- . - "'■ ■ V

Another account states that Hansen . . ■was pressing Allan to hare another - t drink and upon receiving a refusal said he would shoot him. , Hansen; who is a foreigner, is known to harethe Continental idea that for another • man' to refuse to drink with? another is an insult. He is a middle-aged man, who is living a bachelor's life, being: separated from his wife. s

Hflnsen has-a peculiar hobby, whicfc. resulted in his premises being converted into an arsenal. ,' All sorts of weapons hang about his room,1 and thesehe invariably kept loaded.' The weapon with which he injured Allan is acMauser pistol, carrying a .303 softnosed explosive' bullet. It is fitted with a safety-trigger catch, and it » believed that Hansen thought the catch was operating, and that the pi»tol would not fire.