MELBOURNE MURDER

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11739, 29 January 1924, Page 8

MELBOURNE MURDER

STORY OF SUSPECT NORMAN LIST AN INVETERATE ROVER. TRAVELLED THE WORLD. MELBOURNE, January 28. Particulars supplied by relatives show that Norman last, who is suspected of committing the shootings in the Botanical Gardens, is aged thirtyone, and an inveterate rover. He is not an engineering student, as at first described, but has rambled from place to place taking jobs at farm Work or in timber mills, and leaving as it best suited him. He is a great student of mathematical problems, astronomy, and survey ing, and has accumulated many volumes on these subjects. Some ten years ago he left his home and worked his passage from Australia to America, where he spent a considerable time in tramping about the United States and Mexico doing farming and other work. Thence he went to England. and served in the British Army during the war. A GREAT GRAFTER. Though a smallish man, List is powerful and is known as a great grafter, and had no difficulty in securing work. He returned to Australia in November of last year, since when he has been knocking about the country districts employed at timber mills arid in harvesting. A few days before the tragedy he left a harvesting job at Laverton and came to reside with his father and two sisters at Richmond. Since his departure for America years ago he has seldom visited or communicated with his people at home, and has always been markedly noncomnnmioative about his business. When leaving home on Wednesday morning he was asked by his sister if he would return for lunoh, and he replied: “Yes,” hut has not since been seen by hia people- At the time of his departure he appeared to be normal, except; perhaps for his extreme quietness. On the other hand his manner has always been quiet and morose. PURCHASED A WEAPON. The police have discovered that a man on Wednesday purchased a rifle in a Bourke street shop, for which he paid £7 10s. The weapon was of high velocity and powerful. The purchaser indicated that he wanted to use it to shoot big game, and refused to take the variety of bullets usually used in the rifle, which are of the dumdum type and make a terrible wound. Instead, he took a box of ammunition of smaller type, which inflict a wound of a less terrible kind. He signed for it aa Norman List, Seamen’s Institute. He is known to have had £lO in his possession when he left home. In travelling on board 6hip List worked as a messroom steward.