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DARING OUTRAGE.-ATTEMPTED
MURDER BY BUSHRANGERS.
(From the Melbourne Argus)
Yesterday morning between the hours of
eight and nine o'clock, an outrage even exceed-
ing in audacity any previous occurrence of the
kind was perpetrated on the person of Mr.
Ritter, the well-known Gold Broker, in
Elizabeth-street, while on his way from St.
Kilda to Melbourne. The following are the
particulars:—
It appears that shortly after eight o'clock,
Mr. Ritter, accompanied by his brother-in-law,
Mr. S. M. Alexander, left his residence at St.
Kilda, in a chaise cart, for the purpose of pro-
ceeding to Melbourne. It is Mr. Ritter's
custom to water his horse at a lagoon, a few
minutes drive from Canvass Town. Mr.
Ritter, as usual, pulled up on reaching the
water. It was then about a quarter to nine.
Several gentlemen at this time were driving or
riding along the road. Messrs. Campbell,
Brown, Cropper, French, Bickerton, and
others, were only a few yards ahead of Mr.
Ritter and his relation. Scarcely, however,
had the latter pulled up, when seven or eight
ruffians on foot, most of whom were respect-
ably dressed, rushed upon him; one seized the
horse's head, while others opened the back of
the cart, and ransacked the contents of the
vehicle. All this while the robbers presented
pistols at Mr. Ritter, and were in the act of
preparing to search him, when, fearing that if
they found nothing, they would maltreat him,
he immediately flogged his horse, and urged it
forward, first striking the man holding the
animal's head, and compelling him to disengage
his hold. In a moment, Mr. Ritter states the
men fired at him no less than six or seven
pieces, wounding him in several places, and one
ball entered his leg. Not feeling the injury he
had received, Mr. Ritter succeeded in over-
taking some gentlemen a little way ahead of
him, when he discovered from the pain he ex-
perienced, that a ball must have lodged in the
limb. He was then driven to the residence of
Dr. Watkins, of Swanston-street, who dressed
his wounds. Mr. Ritter was then removed to
his residence in Elizabeth-street, where Dr.
O'Mullane was called in. It was found that
five balls had entered Mr. Ritter's dress,—two
merely passed through the trousers, two others
severely grazing his leg and thigh, while the
fifth ball entered the leg close to the shin-bone,
where it still remains. The gentleman accom-
panying Mr. Ritter came off scatheless. The
villains were seen to run off in the direction of
Prahran. One is stated to have been dressed
entirely in black, and having a black hat on.
In fact, all were so decently attired that no
notice was at first taken of them. Mr. Ritter
had only a sixpenny piece and a key upon him,
and his brother-in-law fourteen shillings. The
main cause that can be assigned for this
attempted highway robbery is that yesterday
being St. Patrick's Day, all the Banks were
closed; and it might have been supposed that
a gold-buyer like Mr. Ritter would have a
considerable amount of money about him, in
order to transact the business of the day.
The discharge of fire-arms was distinctly
heard by several persons near, but not dream-
ing of such an outrage at that hour of the day,
no notice was taken of it. Last evening Mr.
Ritter remained in town, and was joined by his
lady; and although suffering acutely from the
wound he had received, was progressing favour-
ably.
The police authorities were immediately
informed of the outrage, but what steps have
been taken by them we are unable to say, as
the representatives of the press are now pro-
hibited from gaining information at the only
quarter where the most correct information
should be obtained. An extraordinary Ga-
zette was issued in the afternoon, offering a
reward of £1600 for the apprehension of the
villains.
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