MISTAKEN FOR POACHERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8409, 31 August 1905, Page 2

MISTAKEN FOR POACHERS.

oSINGULAR SHOOTING MISHAP AT BEAUFORT CASTLE. A strange shooting affair occurred at Beaufort Castle, the Scotch seat of Lord Lovat, at present tenanted by Mr Henry Phipps, a rich American. Two sons of Mr Phipps, suspecting that poaching for salmon was going on, went down to the riverside in the dark. The movement cf a boat was heard on the opposite side, and Messrs Phippß shouted to the rowers, and also fired some gunshots with the object of frightening them. Three of the men left the boat, but a fourth remained, and he, on being ask&d who he was, replied that he was John A]lar£ Fra&er ? f whom they know to be oue of the gillies on the estate. They invited him to row across to tliem," but he answered that he could not move as he had reoeived pellets in both eyes, and was blind. The Phipps then rowod to Fraser, and brought him to the castle, doing everything possible for his comfort there, and sending .for the district doctor. They also wired the nest day to Edinburgh for an operating sufgepn, who found it necessary to remove Fraser's right eye, but it is hoped the sjght of the left eye may be recovered. .Some of the others who were on the river with Fraser. also reoeived a few stray pellets, but their injuries are not worth mentioning, and they have rer sumed their work as estate employees. Mr Henry Phipps is a director qf the American Steel Corporation, in which position he succeeded Mr Carnegie. His first start in life was made as a boy in a little blacksmith's forge. He is best known in Great Britain for his donation of £20,000 to the Boer Rohof Fund, tie also gave a similar sum for founding an agricultural college in In? dia, which be^r3 his name.