OFFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11842, 20 December 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

OFFENCES.

A THAMES SENSATION. LICENSEE OF ROYAL HOTEL SHOT AT.

ASSAILANT COMMITS SUICIDE.

'' Thames, December 11. A SENSATIONAL .shooting incident took place in Brown-street, , Grahamstown, at twenty minutes to one o'clock to-day, when a m an named Clement J. Moore (known to many as "Long Moore"), a resident of Ivarangahake, deliberately fired a revolver three times in rapid succession at Mr. Samuel Howard, the / well-known licensee of the Royal Hotel, and then placed the revolver at his own forehead and blew his brains out, death being instantaneous. ■ Two of the shots fired at Howard struck him on the right and left thighs respectively. The first inflicted a superficial wound only, whilst the bullet of Ilie second shot embedded itself just to the right of the spine, and traversed the upper part of the thigh.

The cause of the shooting is supposed o be in connection with a grievance that Moore had about the Imperial mine at Carangaliake, which mining property Mr. Howard was formerly manager of for a period of four or five years, and Moore limself was formerly a shareholder, Through non-payment of calls Moore some time ago seems to have been compelled to forfeit his shares, and this apparently preved upon his mind, with the result that he eventually attributed his ill-fortune to Mr. Howard, although he appears not to iiave said anything to the latter about .r, out told others so.

Last evening he arrived at the Thames from Paeroa per the last train, and pre up at the Wharf Hotel. During the evening he had a conversation with the landlord (Mr. John Kelly), and amongst the matters he referred to was one re a sum of £250 which he said he had lost in the Imperial mine shares, and this loss he attributed to what he termed mismanagement on the part of Mr. Howard whilst in charge of the mine, but this was all illusionary on Moore's part. He neve? made any threats, or led Mr. Kelly to understand that he had come to the Thames for any other pin pose than an ordinary visit. V This morning, on getting up, he appeared to be in good health, and partook of a hearty breakfast, after which he left the Wharf Hot-el, He then appears to have loitered about Graharnstown all the morning, for Mr. Howard saw him in the vicinity of the Royal on two or three occasions, but not within speaking distance.

' Later on Mr. Howard proceeded to the hairdressing saloon of Mr. Tlios. Dunbar, in Brown- and had a shave. On coming out he noticed Moore coming, and on observing him Mr. Howard said, " Good morning, Mr. Moore." The latter muttered something indistinctly, and shook his head, and immediately raised his right hand with a revolver in it, and fired the first shot at Mr. Howard. On seeing the revolver Mr. Howard made an effort to -get clear of its range, but the shot glanced off nis right- thigh and embedded itself in the bottom of a verandah post close by. 4. second shot was immediately fired; and the bullet, entered the upper part of Mr. Howard's right thigh. The third shot; missed him.

.Moore then placed the revolver, which was a six-chambered one, to his own forehead and fired, falling dpad immediately.

Although twice hit, Mr. Howard managed to keep on his feet until assistance arrived, when he was at once taken to his own hotel, and Drs. Bond and Lapraik were summoned. The former arrived first, and after a cursory examination ordered the injured man's removal to the hospital, where he was quickly put under chloroform, and an operation performed by Dr. Aubin, who was successful in immediately tracing and extracting the bullet.

The bullet, it appears, struck Mr. Howard in an oblique direction from the left side, and traversed the upper part of the thigh to the right of the spine, so that an incision in that place revealed • the bullet, together with fragments of wool from the clothing. There was also a superficial wound on the left side of the spine, which Dr. Aubin thinks it possible might have been caused by the same bullet, but Mr. Howard says lie distinctly felt two bullets strike him. ■ There appears to be no reason to fear any serious result from the principal wound. 11l a ' Conversation with Mr. Howard this afternoon, that gentleman said he knew of in reason '.whatever for Moore's action. He said he had always been 011 friendly terms with the man, had never had an angry word with him, and on several occasions had shown him through the Imperial mine, and given him whatever information he desired re its prospects. Deceased, lie said, had never accused him personally of being concerned in his loss of the Imperial shares, but , through others he had heard that lie (Moore) blamed him. There was, however, no cause whatever for such an assertion, and he (Mr. Howard) had always treated Moore with the greatest ' respect. There was another man, however, a resident of Paeroa, whom' Moore had accused of being concerned in his loss of the shares, and Moore some time ago threatened to shoot that man. As to why Moore should shoot him (Mr. Howard) he could give no reason whatever. At the time the shooting occurred there were a number of pedestrians in Brownstreet, one or two of whom had a very narrow escape from being hit.

Moore was an elderly man, about 63 years of age. He was about 6ft 4in in height, wellproportioned,- and at one time, it is stated, In was a member of the Armed Constabulary. For the last 19 or 20 years he has been a resident of Karangahake, and latterly had been somewhat morose and gruff in his manner. It is stated that lie hailed from County Tyrone, North of Ireland, and that he comes from a well-connected family, one of his brothers being an Anglican clergyman. An ) inquest was opened this evening by Mr. Albert Bruce, district coroner, into the circumstances attending the tragedy. After hearing a number of witnesses, the inquest was adjourned.

TEE ARIADNE CASE.

CfißiSTCirtTßcn,' December 12. Mesi;:r.s. Cassidy and Jotxt, who Appeared for Frecke and. Kerry, . charged .with; conspiracy in the Ariadne case, applied to Mr. "Justice Dennistou, in chambers, Christchurch for a postponement of the hearing of the case, on account of defendants' intention to produce nine new witnesses, one from England, six from Sydney, and two in the colony. Mr. Stringer, for - the Crown, opposed on the grounds that sufficient notice had been given accused, • and the evidence was not new, but merely corroborative of former evidence. His Honor granted the postponement fro.ll the 17th. inst. to January 13.

A young man named Harold Johnson, of respectable appearance, who was arrested in Auckland on December 10, was charged at the Police Court on Dec. 11 that he did, at Christchurch, oh' December 3, steal the . sum of £258 9s 7d, the property of the Drapery and General Importing Company, at Christchurch. Detective Henderson represented the prosecution, and asked that the accused be remanded •to - appear at - the Christchurch Police Court on the. 18th inst. His Worship agreed to this. On December 11 Detectives McMahon and Mcllveney arrested another young man named John Guillmott, in connection with the case, and he was also remanded to Christchurch.

•: During Friday, Dec. '13 a row took place ,on board the barque Lake Erie, lying at Gladstone Pier, Lytteiton. in which it is alleged one of the crew, William Ltyvrey, used a-razor on James Murphy, one of the crew of the brigantine Aratapu. Murphy's injuries are not expected to prove fatal. They consist ■of a wound three inches long below the ribs on the left side, also wounds on the crown of the head, the face, and left shoulder. Lowrey was arrested, and was brought before the Court, and was remanded for eight days', the, wounded man being unable to appear. .. ...