ALLEGED INTENT TO MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15827, 28 July 1913, Page 3

ALLEGED INTENT TO MURDER

SHOOTING AFFEAY AT LYTTELTON. (Pee Dotted Peess Association.) . CHEISTCHURCH, July 27. Acting-detective M. Carney, who was shot under the left arm at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon, passed a fairly good night in the Christchurch Hospital. The bullet was located by an X-ray examination, but the patient was not operated on to-day. It is probable that operation for the removal of the bullet will be performed to-morrow. In the meantime the patient's condition is quite _ satisfactory and no serious results are anticipated. The assailant, Wilfred Edmond Harper, has been charged with discharging a firearm with intent to murder. He has been remanded till August 1.

The Ohrifitchurch Press states that the name of the man who shot Acting Detective Oatney is Wilford Edward Harper, and ho is 27 years of age. On Friday morning Harper's father, who is a waterside worker, went to the police station at Lyttelton and laid an information against him for obtaining money under false pretences, alleging that he had gone to the pay office of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, and, by representing himself as his hther had obtained the sum of £2 8s 3d, due to his father as wages. .Harper was living in a small detached single room close to his father's house, and when Acting Detective Carney called he was informed that the young man was in this room. A knock at *he door, and a call from Acting.Detective Carney met with no response, and on trying the door the officer found that it was looked. He then reached up with his arm to try to open a small window quite close to the door, but almost immediately there was a sharp report and a flash from a firearm inside, and Carney, feeling a sudden twinge of pain in his left side, realised at once that lie had been shot at. He took matters very coolly. Very few of the neighbours realised that anything serious had happened, though many of them were startled by the report of the firearm, and a crowd of women and children rushed into the 6trect. Acting Detective Carney walked down the hill to the surgery of Dr Newell, in Oxford street, where his injury was attended to.

The doctors found a email perforated wound in the muscles on the left side of tho breast, close to the shoulder, but, as it was not possible to make a closer examination at the time, the wound was dressed, and Acting Detective Carney walked to tho police' station and reported -the shooting affair to Senior Sergeant Ryan. Constables Cowan and Thomas were at or.co 60nt up the hill to Harper's house, but found the door barricaded. Finding that Carney wns not in serious danger, Sergeant Kynn, with Constables F. Doak and Hart, followed tho other constables to tho house. Sergeant Ryan called on Harper to come out, and hammered on the door, but got no response. A spade wa6 then, procured, and used to buret tho door open. The door flew open, and the police, rushing in, found Harper sitting on his bed in the 'little room, with a loaded rifle between his knees, but lie quietly submitted to arrest. Sergeant Ryan took charge of tho rifle, which was a heavy American weapon of .22 calibre. It was,, loaded when the polico took it, and thero were 37 cartridges lying loose on a chair close to where Harper was sitting. Sergeant Ryan left to return to the police station, and, shortly afterwards, Harper made a bolt from the constables who were taking him to the lock-up, and jumped down n bank, but was secured before he Jim) gone far.

. Ho stated to the police that he had no intention of shooting Acting Detective Carney. Harper hud been down to tho wharves during the morning, and had fallen into the harbour from No. 6 jetty. When the police forced an entrance, to Harper's room he was clad in a ehirt only, hie wet clothes lying on tho floor, and fhero were indications that he had boon drinking. An examination with X-rays located tho bullet, which, after. piercing tho heavy muscles on the left side of tho chest, close to tho shoulder, had gone in a straight lino for about 3in. Detective Carney certainly

had a very close call, as, with a difference of two or tlirco inches to the right in the flight of the buMet his heart would have been pierced.