AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 28

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

A serious shooting affray is reported from Newnham, Victoria. A man named Evans.who was returning with a companion from a cricket match at 10 o'clock last Saturday night, knocked violently at the door of a farmer named Howe for a lark, and then ran away. Howe did not take it in the same light, and pursued them with a shot gun, and lodged a charge in Evans' back. Evans is now in a critical condition. Howe has been arrested.

A brutal outrage is reported from Rocky Hall, near Candelo, New South Wales. An old man, named Mark Southwell, was drinking in company with two young men, named Thompson and Ryan, and after they had got him almost intoxicated, they saturated his clothes with rum and then set fire to them. He was so dreadfully burnt that hia life is despaired of.

Mr Justice Hood, of Victoria, sentenced a man, charged with assaulting a constable, to six years' hard labour, remarking that magistrates treated such offences too leniently.

George T. Adams, a visitor to Melbourne from the country, was fleeced of £260 by a couple of " spielers " for whom warrants have been issued on charges of conspiracy. A report comes from Benalla that a wild boy of the bush has been discovered on Big River about 24 miles from that place. The boy was found in a hollow log by a rabbit-hunter named Clayton. The youngster is abont 10 years old, had no clothing en, and it is stated he is covered with hair like a wild beast, and can speak only a jargon of his own. He is now caged and is being attended to.

A deliberate case of suicide occurred close to Jolimont railway bridge, Melbourne, when a plasterer named Henry Curnow walked in front of a traia from Melbourne to Kew, was knocked down, decapitated, and frightfully mutilated.

A young woman named Julia M'Carthy was committed for trial at Melbourne charged with infanticide. She had been admitted to the Women's Hospital, and her child was found dead in the morning, strangled by the strings of its night dreßs, which were tightly drawn round the neck.

A little girl named Stewart was accidentally killed at Wagga. She and a brother, who is a few years older, and several children were playing at the residence of the girl's father at Orangetree Point, when a loaded cadet rifle while being moved about by her brother was discharged, and the bullet entered the girl's shoulder, shattering the bone and killing her instantly.

A serious shooting affray'took place at Narandera, when a man named John Brows made a marderous attack on his wife and family, wounding his daughter co -seriously that do hopes are entertained of her recovery. Brown was formerly rabbiting at Hillaton, but came to Narandera about two months ago. Latterly he has been employed on one of the stations in the neighbourhood, and has been living apart from his wife, who became intimate with a man named George Adams, and went to live with him. Brown heard of her infidelity, and came into the township on Saturday afternoon with the avowed intention of revenging himself. He purchased a six-chambered revolver, and then proceeded to where his wife and Adams were living, walked into the house, shut the door and locked it, and asked Adams to tarn Mrs Brown and her children out. Adams refused, and Brown then fired at him, the ball going through his ear. Brown afterwards fired at his wife, the bullet just grazing the top of her head. He then fired two shots at his daughter, 16 years old, one ball entering under her shoulder-blade, and the other passing through her leg. Brown then fired at his son, bat luckily missed him. After the six chambers were discharged he beat his wife about the head with the revolver, and while in the act of doing so he was taken into custody. ,