BRUTAL NAVVIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3148, 18 February 1911, Page 9

BRUTAL NAVVIES.

MAN BATTERED TO DEATH. RESULT OF A SPREE. Wallan, a township on _thc- Northeastern railway line, in Victoria, was the scene of a shocking tragedy on Saturday morning, when, after a brawl between some drunken navvies, an innocent man named Lupton was literally battered to death. A gang of oCPnicn employed by the Railway Department are camped near the scene of their work. On Friday night a number of them visited the Railway Hotel, East Wallan, and purchased a large quantity of beer, which they put in billycans to carry it to the camp. The licensee of the hotel closed his premises at 11.30 p.m., but the gang demanded admission and more beer. The licensee refused 1 to serve them, whereupon the men, five in number, burst in the door and attempted to help themselves, to liquor. With the assistance of the ganger in charge and other men from the camp, •the gang were ejected, and then two of their number had a stand-up fight. Sober men from the camp attempted to separate the pugilists, and were severelv handled for the pains by the fighters’ friends. The attitude of the men who were fighting and their sympathisers then became so aggressive that one of the party who had been trying to restore order seized a paling and threatened to use it if he were further interfered with. Quiet was eventually restored, and the parties returned to camp to turn in. Some of the more restless of the aggrieved section, however, went around the camp, vowing vengeance against the man who had seized the paling. At length they entered the tent where LuptoiT was sleeping, and dragging him out, belabored him unmercifully about the head, eventually leaving him in an unconscious condition. Pie was discovered in the morning and sent to Kilmore, where lie was taken to the hospital. Pie was dead, however, before he arrived at the institution. The deceased was married. * Five men have bqen arrested in connection with the tragedy.