The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-30 00:00:00

various evolutions. The inspection being over, the
officers retired to their quarters, and Ensign Pen-
nefather, with others, engaged in fitmiliar and
friendly conversation. Shortly afterwards, between
twelve and one o'clock, Ensign Pennefather rushed
out of his room with a six barrelled revolver in his'
hand, and meeting, just as he got out of the house,
Ensign Keith, he presented the pistol and fired at
him. The ball passed through Ensign Keith's cheek,
and came out at the back of the neck. At this time
Dr. M'Cauley was seated in an arm chair on the
grass in front of his quarters reading. In conse-
quence of the accident which he met with a few
weeks since, by falling from the gallery upon the
vestibule of the Theatre Royal, the doctor was
an invalid, and his crutch lay by his side.
After firing at Ensign Keith, Pennefather
ran to where Dr. M'Cauley was sitting, and
placing the pistol on the doctor's mouth, he
fired, and the ball passed out at the back of his
neck. Pennefather then looked round as if anxious
to find some one else to shoot, when Ensign
Lucas ran forward to wrest the pistol from him
On seeing him approach Pennefather fired, and
shot him in the jaw. With a maniacal Ha, ha!'
the wretched man then placed the pistol to his own
head and fired, the ball entering his right temple.
Such. as near as we can learn, are the brief but
shocking incidents of this distressing affair. Dr.
I\l'Cauley is dead. Several persons ran to him
immediately after he was shot ; he was still sitting
in his chair, but life was extinct. Ensign Lucas is
severely and Ensign Keith dangerously wounded;
but both are expected to recover. Of Ensign
P„ennefather there is no hope. By making incisions
the ball and piece of the skull have been removed
but the injuries are of too serious a nature to allow
of a belief that the unfortunate cause of the
tragedy can survive. The commission of so fright-
ful an act can only be attributed to a fit of insanity.
For the last three weeks Ensign Pennefather had
been on the sick list, and it was generally be-
lieved that his mind was 'affected. Only a few
days since Dr. I\l'Cauley is reported to have said
to Pennefather, in half joking way, that if he
didn't mend, he should have to send him to
the Yarra Bend. Whether the frenzy was pro-
voked by any temporary cause, we have not been
able to ascertain ; but in the absence of any such,
the fit was probably owing to the sudden change in
the weather and the excitement of the review.
Poor Dr. M'Cauley died in his chair, after one or
two ineffectual attempts to speak or respire. As
might be anticipated, the wretched maniac was
dead before midnight : and subsequently an inquet
was held on the bodies of Dr. M'Cauley and Ensign
Pennefather. The evidence was conclusive as to
the insanity of the poor young man." The follow-
ing notice of the affair in the summary of the
Melbourne Herald, gives some additional particulars.
We are glad to announce that both Ensigns Lucas
and Veith are expected to recover :
Ensign Pennefather, who had been on the sick list for
some days, and was absent from the inspection, suddenly
entered Ensign Veith's room with a revolver. Mr. Veith
asked him whom he was going to shoot; and he replied,
"Wait until Lucas," another ensign in the regiment,
" comes in." Immediately aftewards he levelled the pistol
at Mr. Veith and fired, the shot taking effect in the lower
part of the face of the latter, and issuing at the neck. Mr.
Pennefather then rushed through to the back of the house,
and meeting Ensign 'Lucas, fired at him and wounded him
severely, also in the jaw and neck. The unhappy maniac
then called out, "Now, for M'Cauley I" the assistant. sur-
geon of the regiment, and running round to where that
gentleman, who had only a short time previously sustalned
severe injuries by falling out of the window of theltoyal
Hotel, was sitting in an easy chair, shot him dead He
then looked round as if in search of another victim, and
then uttering a wild laugh, discharged the pistol at his
own head, the contents of the barrel passing through the
brain and shattering the skull. The unhappy man lingered
for nine hours and then expired. A coroner's inquest was
held the next day, and a verdict, declaring that Ensign
Pennefather had committed the fearful act under tempo-
rary insanity, was returned. Nothing transpired at the
inquest to lead to the conclusion that the deeds were done
while the perpetrator was under the guidance of his pro-
per reason. The remains,of both gentleman were interred
on the following Friday with the usual military observ-
ances. Ensigns Veith and Lucas are now progressing
favourably to recovery.
Sergeant M.Nally, of the police, has been shot
dead by a desperado called " Gipsy Smith," who
was subsequently captured. The wife of a police-
constable, in a fit of insanity, had murdered both
her children.