Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA : 1916 - 1938), Tuesday 11 February 1930, page 19


PALM ISLAND TRAGEDY FURTHER PARTICULARS Townsville (Qld.) Feb. 5. Further particulars concernzng the Palm Island tragedy disclose that Curry, after running amok on Sunday night, paraded the beach for some hours and after daylight left in a small launch, the Rita, after burning the only other launch at the island. He proceeded to Fantome Island where he informed Mr. Morcom, the Lock Hospital at-tendant, of what he had done. He said he intended to lay off Caruso Island and if any boat left Palm Island he would chase it. He de-clared he would go back in the even-ing and clean off the rest of the whites and then lay off for the police boat, and have a bit of fun with them. Curry returned to Palm Is- land settlement late in the after- noon. As he came up the beach brandishing two revolvers he was shot by a small party of blackboys which had been posted under shel-ter. He sustained bullet wounds in both wrists and a gunshot wound in the lower portion of the abdomen and upper portion of the thighs, and succumbed a couple of hours later. Dr. Taylor, who proceeded across Palm Island with the police party, spoke highly on his return of the courage of Dr. and Mrs. Paterson and of the dressing of Morcom. He said that Mrs. Paterson had been wonderful. Dr. Paterson had liga-tured his leg and Mrs. Paterson had dressed it, although she did not re-member doing it. She did not re-member anything during the first two hours. When Morcom arrived he put on a second dressing and this remained till he, Taylor, reached the scene. It was well done. Dr. Taylor added, that while Dr. Pater-son's condition was not bad, it was dangerous. The bullet had struck the bone and had also gone close to the artery in his leg. There was a pos-sibility of infection, etc.