ARMED VIOLENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23490, 30 October 1939, Page 7

ARMED VIOLENCE

MELBOURNE AFFBAYS A WAITRESS REMANDED CASE FROM THE MARKETS STATIONMASTER'S. ESCAPE [FJRO3I OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT]-- ' MELBOURNE, Oct. 18-. Thrco shooting affrays, one of which resulted in a woman being charged with tho murder of a man, occurred in Melbourne within t;7O ■■■ Tho victim of the fatal shooting was Albert Sharpe, labourer, aged 24 years* The affair occurred at 4 a.m. in a taxicab outside the Georges Inn, an alinight cafo in Russell Street, conducted by Greeks. One of the Greeks told the police that a woman camo to the cafo, said sho was in a hurry, and ordered bacon and eggs. Almost immediately a tall man and a short man 'walked in and sat at a table near her* The woman had her meal and left. The two men left their unfinished meal and followed her out. A taxi-driver told tho police that'a woman and two men engaged his cab. As ho was. about to drive away »n argument began m tlie back seat. He was told to stop his cab, and, as one of tho men was alighting, a -shot was . fired. One of the men—the shorter tho two —staggered back against tlie cafo doorway and then collapsed 011 the footpath; He had been shot in tho stomach. Accused Neatly Dressed The driver said a voice ordered him to drive on and ho felt a pistol touch his ear. However, he stepped from the cab and ran into the -cafe. Difficulty was experienced in identifying the victim of the shooting, who died an hour after admittance to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Neatly dressed in a grey tailored suit and red woollen jumper, Mona Hayes, waitress, aged 26 years, ap- ( peared in tho City Court .on a charge of having murdered Sharpe. She was* remanded until September 23. On the point of collapse, George Davidson, aged 25 years, of Carlton, Melbourne, staggered into the casualty department of the Royal Melbourne Hospital at midnight on Saturday. He had a bullet wound in. his che9'i. The police investigations showed that Davidson and three other men were in a storeroom in tho Victoria Markets ni when another man entered. ly alleged that this man drew a pistol or a revolver and shot Davidson ■in the back. The bullet penetrated his chest. Davidson's companions took him to the hospital in a car and Davidson walked, into the casualty department. His condition is serious. . A: . Stationmaster's Escape Shots were fired almost point blank at the stationmaster of the North Port railway station, Mr. W. lE. Hammond, by'a man who attempted to enter'the station office at night. North Port is on the Melbourne-Port, Melbourne line. Hearing a knock after he had noticed the turning of the handle of the office door, Mr. Hammond opened the door and saw a man, tho lower part of whose face was covered. • Without speaking, the man fired a shot, which missed Mr. Hammond. As the man fired a second shot Mr. Hammottd was protecting himself with. a chair. which was near the door. Tlje second bullet passed through the seat of the chair, . but did not strike Mr. Hammond. The man then ran-away. •