DISMISSED EMPLOYEE RAN AMOK, WOUNDING TWO MEN SEVERELY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18046, 5 January 1927, Page 3

DISMISSED EMPLOYEE RAN AMOK, WOUNDING TWO MEN SEVERELY.

COMMITTED SUICIDE WHEN CAPTURED. | The busiest building in Adelaide—the G.P.O. was the .scene of a shooting affray shortly before the luncheon hour on December 17. James Hannigan, a temporary clerk in the telegraph engineer's department, entered the office of the Chief Engineer, shot Mr E. J. Doble (costing clerk) twice in the groin; fired another shot which narrowly missed the head of a girl employee: and a third through the glass partition of the room occupied by the Deputy State Engineer (Mr John Hill), the bullet passing over the chair where Mr Hill usually sat. Running downstairs, Hannigan encountered the Deputy Post-master-General (Mr James Mason) as he was on his way to lunch, JJnd shot' him above the heart. Proceeding to the ground floor, he was leaving the building by the new main entrance when Mr John Bearc, a wireless inspector. flung himself upon him with great courage and pinioned his arms. Before the police could arrive, however, Hannigan had jerked the weapon upwards, shot himself through the head from beneath the jaw, and fell dead "before the. horrified gaze of many passers by. The affair is stated to have been the sequel to incidents which had occurred on the previous day. Hannigan, a tall, powerfully built man, about 38 years of age, had originally been employed in the main office of the State Engineer for Telegraphs, but was moved from the central office to the MileEnd Workshops 12 months ago, owing to complaints by members of the staff that he had threatened them. On that occasion it is said that he threatened Mr Doble and a woman member of the staff, declaring that he would “do for” them and also “clean up" several others in the office. On complaints being made that he was carrying a revolver, the police were called in. but a search of Hannigan’s desk and his clothing failed to reveal any trace of a firearm. Assaulted His Superior. Hannigan originally came fiom Ireland, where he served in the Royal Irish Constabulary, and later, during the war was in the Irish Guards. Before he entered the postal service he was a member of the South Australian Police Force at Adelaide. Suffering from shellshock, it is stated that his temperament was most uncertain, and that on December 1G he assaulted a messenger boy named Talbot at the Mile-End office, and on being spoken to by Mr Spurr (officer in. charge of that particular section), assaulted him. The matter was reported to Mr Doble, and Hannigan was summarily dismissed. Being a temporary employee, it was not necessary to give him notice; but, as he was a returned soldier, special permission had to be obtained from Mr Mason for the action taken. He was told to present himself at the office of the* State Engineer's Department—which is on the second floor of the new G.P.O. building— next morning for his pay and to finalise his association with the department. This he did about 9.20 a.m. and he asked to see Mr Doble. He had a short conversation with that gentleman—who is a married man with two children, Residing at Dover Street, Malvern —and he was apparently in-

censed by his dismissal. He subsequently left and went to his home at 99, Halifax Stret, City. There he saw his wife, who was unaware of his dismissal. and after giving her some fish to cook for his tea, told her he had the day off and took his small son James, aged four years—the only child—for a walk. He returned with the boy, and again left. Unfortunate Costing Clerk. At about 11.30 a.m. Hannigan again appeared at the Telegraph Engineers' Department, and saw the pay clerk (Mr M. . Allmond) regarding his wages. The latter promised to give him the money as soon as possible, and told Aim to come back later. Shortly before 1 p.m. he returned, and Mr Allmond paid his portion of the money and told him to go to the cashier’s branch for the remainder. A minute or two later Air Allmond was speaking on the telephone, when he saw Hannigan reappear on the landing outside the office, place his hat on the windowsill. and with a curious deliberation, walk into the office, where a large number of clerks of both sexes were working. He approached Mr Doble and whipped out a big 45-calibre service revolver. Mr Doble, according to eyewitnesses, endeavoured to defend himself with a chair, but fell with two bullets, about an inch apart, in the groin. A third shot passed within a few inches of the head of Miss F. Haese —a young accounting machine operator, whose services had been temporarily secured from Chartres, Limited—and lodged in the wall. Another woman employee. Miss M. Edwards, a machinist, showed marked courage in going across to assist Mr Doble, notwithstanding the near presence of a powerful-looking stranger with a smoking. revolver in his hand. Resource of Clerk. Aghast at what had occurred in the hitherto peaceful office, the occupants saw Hannigan make aggressively toward the rooms of the State Engineer (Mr P. Kennedy) and the DeputyState Engineer (Mr John Hill), which are of wood with frosted glass partitions, at one side of the main office. Entering Mr Kennedy’s room, he found it empty. He next tried the door of the Deputy State Engineer, but could not open it, as a clerk in the room with Mr Hill was sitting on the floor, with his back against the wooden lower portion of the door and his legs braced against the furniture. Hannigan then raised the firearm, and, estimating where Mr Hill usually sat, fired through the frosted glass partition, but the bullet happily found the usual occupant of the chair missing from his seat. Mr Mason’s 111 Fortune. With two undischarged cartridges still in the revolver, Hannigan. made quickly out of the office, down a flight of stairs into the old building, and walked along the corridor approaching the gallery running around the main hall of the General Post Office, on to which Mr Mason’s room opens. As ill fortune would have it, Mr Mason was just leaving his office on his way to 1 lunch. As he slackened his steps to look down into the hall, Hannigan tired, and the bullet struck him above the heart. Mr Mason collapsed with a gasp, while Hannigan set off down the stairs leading to the new marble street entrance. There he met his Nemesis in the person of Mr Beare, an inspector in the wireless branch, who was just returning from Mr Beare —a married man, of M’Kinnon Parade, North Adelaide, with a creditable i/cord of years in the Western Australian Police Force—evidently knew how to deal with the man; and his dauntless courage in tackling an armed adversary much bigger than himself, was worthy of the greatest praise, and doubtless prevented the madman from doing further mischief. •’ Murder —Police.” Mr Beare was just approaching the entrance when he heard cries of “ Mur-

der-j-Potico-! ” Hastening into the building, he heard somebody shou. “He is tip there, pointing up the stall s leading to the first floor. Beare then saw Hannigan (who was a complete stranger to him) coming down e stairs with his hand m his . lup poehev. Shouts of “That is the man; stop him!" arose. Hannigan whipped out the revolver, pushed open the double glass d V oors, began to run for the street with Mr Beare in close pursuit. .lust as he reached the steps, Mr Beare made a flying leap on to liis back, and wrapped’ his arms round him, pinioning his elbows to his sides. Despite Hanmcan's desperate efforts to break fiee. - Jr Beare did not relax his hold an inch and the struggle carried the pair to the edge of the footpath by the newsvendor’s stand. Just as the police were arriving on the scene, Hannigan wio had apparently been endeavouring to point the revolver over his shoulderjammed it- up under lus throat and shot himself upwards through the head. He fell in a heap, with Mr Beare on top of him and with the empty revolver still clenched in his hand. A growing pool of blood was staining the liagstohes before the horrified gaze of an increasing crowd, when the police arrived, and took charge of the body, which was subsequently removed to the Morgue.

Serious Condition of Mr Mason. Meantime, postal employees had done all in their power for the wounded men until the arrival of a doctor, who could not be located for about twenty minutes. Mr Mason was taken to Narnia Private Hospital, where his condition was stated to be serious. Mr Doble was conveyed to the Adelaide Hospital, but although badly injured and in great pain, his condition was found not to be grave. The bullet which struck Mr Mason went right, through him, and was subsequently found on the edge of the balcony near where he fell. A live shell was also picked up in the corridor nearby. The surgeons discovered that the bullet had entered the left chest in the centre of the body and travelled obliquely, emerging under the left shoulder. When Hannigan fired Mr Mason was looking over the balcony, and was side on to his assailant. Mr Beaxe's Record. The hero of the affair, Mr Beare, is an efficient and well liked member ol the Wireless Inspector’s office. Born in Adelaide, he went to Western Australia in 1904, and, alter working m the Railway Department for a while, joined the police force. He was sta tioned at Perth for a number of years, and there took an active part in the rifle club movement, being regarded as one of the best shots in the western state. He was transferred to Hall's ('reek, in the Kimbcrleys, and later to Collie and Tambellup. He is a son of Inspector John S. Bearc, of the South Australian force, who retired some years ago. “ Enlightened Man.” Jt is stated that Hannigan was, when in the mood, a most enlightened man. but his good nature was spasmodic and his acquaintances were not always certain how to take him. lie was fond of athletics, where his fine physique stood him in good stead. He was an ardent devotee of handball, and was a member of the South Australian interstate team last year. Mr and Mrs Hannigan had been resident in Adelaide for only four years, before which time Hannigan had been in the military fences in Queensland.