TRAGEDY IN SYDNEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2323, 8 September 1898, Page 16

TRAGEDY IN SYDNEY.

ONE WOMAN MURDERED. : SYDNEY, August 30. A terrible tragedy was enacted in George street this forenoon, resulting in a girl named Lily Garrick being shot dead by a tobacconist named Lisson, while sever.il others were wounded. Lisson is carrying on business in the street* named, and the girl murdered was a sistsr of Mrs Lisson, and was staying with the Lissons. Lisson op«ned his shop as usu?l this morning, and shortly after went upstairs to the rooms where the family lived with a traveller named Mordaunt. Subsequently a shot was heard, and Mordaunt, •wounded in the head,, rushed out. When the police arrived on the scene they found the girl shot dead. The heads of Lisson's two little boys were badly battered, aul their condition is regarded as serious. Mrs liisson, who endeavoured to save the children, was seriously wounded in the arm. Mordaunt states that Lisson suddenly attacked him with a hammer, and after a severe struggle he managed to escape. Subsequently Lisson attacked the other members of the family and then' attempted to cut his own throat. He was taken into custody. Mordaunt was traveller for Lisson, and quarrelled with him a few days ago, but the latter expressed regret and asked Mordainit to come this morning and sign an agreement. It was while writing this document in the offlcd that Lissoi' felled him with a hamnii-r. In the desperate struggle for life Lisson dropped the hammer and rushed at Mordaunt with a knife. Just as the point of the knife touched the lobe of the oar his assailant slipped, and Mordaunt, breaking away, escaped. The wife, evidently hearing the struggle, entered the room, and threw herself upon tininfuriated man, and prevented pursuit of Mordaunt. Lisson then shot at her, and aa

she wrenched the revolver away the bull'st passed through her hand. Lisson tht-u dashed out of the room, when he met his •sister-in-law. Meanwhile lie had picked up a shot-gun fully loaded, and fired at his lelation at short range. The full charge entered under the chin, instantly killing her. Li&son's two sons, Victor and Rowley, nine and seven years of age respectively, ■«ere the next victims, the father battering their heads with a hammer. The police officer smartly seized Lisson, who (contrary to fh'st statements) made no attempt on his own life, and went quieftly to the police station, remarking that h& wished he had finished the Jew, referring evidently to Mordaunt, and that lie ought to have killed the whole lot. The eldest boy is making good progress. The ■youngest is being operated on. The prisoner is of French extraction, but a native of the colony. He is a man of means and property, but has an ungovernable temper, and was regarded as a somewhat dangerously violent man. He occupies his time in the cell whistling and singing. So far the actual cause leading to the tragedy is not known.