SHOT TWO, THEN SUICIDE

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1927, Page 7

SHOT TWO, THEN SUICIDE

DISMISSED EMPLOYEES REVENGE,

SENSATION IN ADELAIDE.

Sydney, Dec. 24.

Amid scenes of wild excitement, an employee recently dismissed from- thj postal service in Adelaide attempted to murder the Deputy Post master-General of South Australia on Friday. He succeeded in wounding the head of the eefvice, ehot another official, and when cornered himself, committed suicide. It was a most dramatic occurrence. Mr. J. Mason is South Australia's Deputy Postmaster-General, the G.P.O. being In King William Street. Early in the afternoon a man <1 reseed in a black suit wae noticed hanging about the corridors, but it wae not bub- . pected that he was there with any sinister purpose in view. Nevertheless, he • followed Mr. Maeon when he left his v room and entered an open offices Tho disgruntled ex-employee was James Hannigan, and he rushed into the cost-ing-room, "which Mason had entered. Hannigan had a revolver in his hand, and he fired at Mason’s heart. The bullet fortunately struck the chest bqne, and was deflected towards the arm. Mason fell backwards.

Immediately he saw his victim fall, Hannigan whelled round menacingly in time to see Mr. E. J. Dobel, chief costing clerk in the G.P.0., making for him. Hannigan fired two shots at him. both piercing his gi-oin. And when Dobel fell Hannigan fired two more shots promiscuously about the room to frighten the other men working, there. One missed the head of a typist by a few inches, and she promptly fainted. , Apparently satisfied with Lis afternoon’s work, Hannigan left the costingroom and made a rush to escape. He was pursued, of course, and as he wm running through a corridor on the ground floor, Mr. J. Beare, wrreleM inspector, wae informed whirt bad happened. He chased Hannigan, and' jumped on his back. They wrestled along corridor and out into the street, where Beare threw Hannigan and fell on top of him. Realising that ho was Hannigan fired another shot, into hie own head, and wae dead in u few moments.

The Deputy Postmaster-General was admited to a privat e hospital, where hie . condition, though serious, is not regarded as critical. Mr. Dobel is also in hospital, Hannigan, who was about 40 yeare el age, was married, and had one child. 116 had been employed, in the account! branch of the G.P.O. from July, lfl2S, unjil, last Thursday,; when be was -dH" misted. *