A PARNELL SENSATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 4, 21 August 1911, Page 6

A PARNELL SENSATION.

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE, il’er Press Association.) Auckland, August 21. A fisherman named Thos, Madigan was shot in the iioad at iiis fatnei’s i!ousc in Egliiiton Street, Parnell, on Saturday night, and ho now lies in the district Hospital in a sferious conditionl. •■Subsequently the police arrested Annie McConnell, a middleaged woman, on a charge of attempting to murder Madigan. The parties concerned have been living together tor three or four years, and a quarrel between them terminated in Madigan being wounded by a bullet from a revolver,' the missile penetrating his right oar, lodging either in the base of his skull, or in the muscles of his nock. Madigan was taken to the Parnell police station at 10.3-5 p.m. on Saturday. It was*at once seen that her was injured, and on being questioned, ho informed the constable that he liad been shot through the .car with a pistol. On being asked who .did it, JVladigan replied: “That woman.” The constable asked him if he meant Annie McConnell, and Madigan replied: “Vos; she shot me at the old man’s place.” Madigan, whoso wound was bleeding, was taken in-a cab to a doctor, who, after examination, said that he was of opinion that the bullet had lodged in tlic base of the skull.

The injured man was then removed to the hospital. Constables Magee and Gatward were despatched to arrest the woman McConnell and take possession of the revolver. When they arrived at the house they found the wounded man’s father (names Madigan), his wife (Mary Madigan), and Annie McConnell. AH 'three are alleged to have boon under the influence of liquor. As soon as the police appeared in the house Mary Madigan commenced to rave about Annie McConnell having shot her son Tom. In a statement she made to the constables she said: “'Join went to'lie down on the bod in tho back room, and asked mo not allow Annie McConnell in the" room. • McConnell/then took a lighted candle and went into the room, and a few minutes afterwards I heard a shot, and 1 wont in and found my son on tho floor, bleeding. He said: “Got a doctor, l’m done for.”

James Madigan made a similar statement to tnc police. McConnell raid that Tom Madigan. James Madigan, Mary Madigan, and herself were all in the house together. At 9.30 p.m. Tom Madigan went out and got a gallon of beer, and two square “riggers.” The old man was in bed. They were all drinking, when Thos. Madigan caught bold of her and accused her of familiarity with other men. Ho struck her twice on the head with his list, and then went into the bedroom. She followed, and picked up a revolver off tiic table and fired. She told the police that she did not know what she fired at. The woman said she had bought the revolver herself, “As Tom was always provoking her.” A five-chambered revolver containing one spent and one unspent cartridge was found on the door'. The constables arrested McConnell and took her to the central police station. She will bo charged in the Police Court this morning with attempted murder, and a remand will be applied for. Madigan himself was very much muddled on Saturday night, and could not give a rational account of the shooting incident. On admission to the hospital the doctors said that, he was in no immediate danger, and last ■evening-his; condition, though serious, was. not; alarming. Tho wound was examined under X-rays at 11 a.m. yesterday, but the exact position of the bullet was not ascertained. Madigan is a single man, 47 years of age.