THE MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 16 August 1880, Page 2

THE MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

$ ' <r (From The Argus, July 28.) A terrible scene occurred in the dress circle of this Opera Howe on Saturdaj night. Mr J. J. Macgregor Creer, a young gentleman who only landed in the Colony a few days ago, shot his wife and Mods, A. L. Soudry, ono ot tbe members of the French Exhibition Commission

appointed. in connection with the Mel* bourne Exhibition, and then attempted to take bis own life. He was seated beside his wife daring the evening, and when the curtain fell, at the close of tbe fourth act, M. Soudry took a seat next to Mrs Greer. M. Soudry had scarcely sat down when Greer drew a revolver, and fired two shots in rapid succession, the first at IM. Srudry, the second at Mrs Greer. A third shot was fired, the pistol this time being aimed at Mods. Gorges Burk, a friend of M. Soudry, who was seated in the chairs at the back, of the circle. This shot missed its mark, and Greer then rushed along tbe gangway. Putting the pistol to his ear as 6e ran, he fired a fourth shot into his own head, and fell on the floor, about ten paces from the spot where the others dropped. These were the msin facts of the occurrence, but some time elapsed before this short narrative could be obtained, for a panic took place in tbe crowded dress circle, and men and women fled from tbe house in a state of mad excitement. There was, as | is not unusnsl on Saturday night a full attendance in all parts of the theatre, and every sest in the dress circle was occupied. The curtain had only fallen a minute or two at the end of the fourth act, about a quarter to eleven o'clock, and • number of gentlemen bad left their places for the vestibule and tbe refresh' ment rooms, when suddenly two sharp erseks were beard, followed by a third and fourth. For an instant it was sop* posed tint the explosions had taken place on the stage, because in the last ay firearms had to be used, and one or two might have gone off prematnrely. Tbe scream* of the women, and tbe rush for the doors, however, showed thst a real tragedy had commenced amongst the audience. Tbe common impression, ex« cept in the immediate neighbourhood of the scene, was that a madman bad begun to fire recklessly at tbe people round about him. Hence the rush pell mell for the door. One man bounded clean over the high seat at the back of the dress eir« e'e as well ss over tbe chairs on the temporary bench, snd hurried to the en* trance. The ladies hastened out of their ?eats. and fell oyer one another, on the carpet ; at one moment three lay on tile top of one another, and with difficulty could he raised . to their feet. Others tumbled over chairs and screamed hysterically. Few had tbe coolness to keep their places, until the cause of the mis* chief fell helplessly between the back seats and one of the sofas, where two gentlemen held him down. The revolver got thrown under the sofa. Meanwhile the lady and gentlemen fired at had also fallen ;' the lady lay stretched nut on the seat and the gentleman disappeared between the hfnehes. Two or three rowi of seats had become deserted, and for a moment or two no one had the presence of mind to go forward and see what help the wounded required. Those who wanted to get in were kept fork by others eager to esrape. One lady had clambered over into the Melbourne Club box, and others had runout through the stage door. - Mr Greer and his wife hsd places on the right hand side of the dress circle in the section next but one to the club box. They were in the back row, and Mrs Greer next the gangway. The action of both husband and wife had attracted tbe notice of many. Most of tbe time Mr Giver had his eyes turned towards the middle of the circle, and one lady seated in the chairs, at whom he appeared to direct his gsie, felt quite nervous. His attention was really directed at somebody else, or at tbe quarter in which he expected thst somebody to appear— M. Soudry. Mrs Greer appeared to pay little attention to the performance, and likewise h«d her eyes directed towards the same plsoe. This was remarked by a gentleman who stood a few paces behind the seat. From the facts wa hare cols leeted, it seems evident thst Mrs Greer had been unfaithful to her husband, that M. Soudry and ahe had been improperly intimate, that the husband knew it, that he became frenzied when he found the two together, and tried to kill them both. M. Soudry, whose app aranee in the theatre was not noticed until just before, passed from the middle of the dress circle to the right side as soon as tbe curtain fell. ; It is k not certain where Mr Greer was at the time— whether in his seat or in the passsge behind it. He most ha- • been near at hand however. First M. Soudry and tben bis wife were fired at. The shots followed one another rapidly. Tben he started hastily along the passage* The third shot appears to have been aimed at M. Burk, who was seated in one of the chairs, and must have come under Greer's notice ss he went along. On this point, however, the independent evidence is not definite: Certainly four of the chambers of the revolver were afterwards found empty, and something 1 like a ballet atruek tbe wall. Two or three paces further on Mr Greer put the reroirer to his own head. Two or three yards fnrther on he stumbled over the i sofa. He was stopped and seiaed by Dr Bird, of Collins street, to whose sssis* tanee came Mr F. B. Simmons, of tbe Daily Telegraph. Mr Simmons was not in the house when the affair began, but ran in as soon as he heard the first two shots! On his way round one of the frightened heroes in the dress circle jumped down, upon him, and pitched him against the sofa by the door. Mr Simmons took Mr Greer by the right band a 9

he lay on the floor. Mr Greer bad the revolver, a bright nickel-plated weapon, firmly m bis grasp, and did not let it zo for ao instant or tiro. It tben rolled unnoticed under the sofa. Otbtr gentlemen came np. Dr Lempriere, Mr Bolan, inspector-general of the Education De« partment. Dr Bjan, and several more helped to carry tbe disabled nan out into the vestibule* He bad already lost a quantity of blood from the wound in the head, tnd a broad patch of the carpet where be fell was covered with it. Outride he said he wanted no doe* tor, but a glass of water. Then he fainted. In the meantime, Mrs Greer and M* Soudry had been attended to. The lady, when raised tip, showed a deep wound near tbe right ear, and bad blood about her mouth. Tbe shot seemed to bare entered at tbe nidi and gone out through the cheek. There was blood on the seat where she felt. She was taken np and carried out in an almost senseless state. M. Soudry, when brought to his feet, wai found to be the least injured of all the party. Some venous excitedly asked him how he was. His only reply was ** I am very weak." He walked out, with the assistance of two gentlemen. The three were then re* moved to the Hospital. Tbe excitement lasted for a consider* able time. Scarcely anybody could as* certain what really happened, o? who were eoneerned in tbe tragedy. Three* fourths of the dress circle audience left the house, the restibnle and, cloak- room were blocked, and, to add to the throng, people began Ut rush' upstairs from the street and the stall*. An end was, how* <wr, imt to the actual panic as soon as Mr Greer fell into safe hands. The ladies who still stayed in the house mounted the seats and looked round ex* citedly. B*rml who bad fainted cr become hysterical were taken out. About 29 or 90, not more, had the presence of mind to resume their places and attend to the fast art of the opera. To qnell tbe exntnnent, the orchestra fell to work as quickly is possible. The set wan a short one. In the last scene several shots bad to be fired, and the noiae of the explosion procured a sort of second panic in the vestibule. Several ladies rushed down stairs Mindly, but no one wss harmed. For sime time the approaches to tbe theatre were Mocked, and for the next hour Bourke and Swansea streets were crowded by scattered groups of talkers and listeners. Mr Greer is a fresh, broad - shouldered man. His age is not exactly known, some statements giv* ing it as 24, and others 27. He and his wife landed from the Garonne on July 18. They were second-clsss passengers, but M. Soudry was in the saloon with other members of the French Commission. A passenger by the Garonne gives the following information concerning the re* tattoos between the parties on board tho Garonne :— Mr Greer is 84 years of age and has ao expression of rather greater juvenility. His countenance is rateer well favored by nature and would be pronounced band* some, some would even be disposed to say intellectual, were it not for the dull expression of the eyes and the heavy for* tnatieaof the under portion of the face. In disposition he was kind hearted to nearly all, most affectionate to his wife, but conceited and self*opinionated. Mrs Greer, although not considered pretty, was prepossessing, charmingly vivacious in her manner, and certainly ala Fran* eaise in her conversation. The G aronns left Plymouth on May 29. M. Soudry was a fint«elsss passenger, Mr snd Mrs Greer and child being in the second saloon. During, the first week nothing of eonsequesjee transpired on board. M. Soudry mntiaed very exclusive in com* paoywitha friend. Mrs Greer was fro unwell even to appear frequently on deck. In the following week Mrs Greer entered upon a flirtstion with one of the passen* cers, that, although innocent in the extreme, drew upon her the censure of several of her lady friends, and ultimately occasioned a serious misunderstanding' with he* husband. la a conversation arising out of this affair she told a gentle* man on board that she had not lived the most felttieous married life, baring been separated from her husband ©a more than one occasion.