Call News-Pictorial Perth – 7 September 1928, page 2
WILD WEST DEEDS AT BULLFINCH
Love Lorn Migrant’s Reign of Terror Ends With Bullet
Sensational Incidents Follow Rejected Affection
Because he loved fifteen-year-old Dorothy Cook, the daughter of a local farmer, a youthful migrant entered upon a series of sensational exploits of terror at Bullfinch on Tuesday. From bailing the girl up with a revolver, the maddened young man went to terrorising the surrounding country with firearms until finally in a clash with an armed posse of local residents, he was shot dead.
Never since the days of the diggings has there been recorded such a wild series of incidents with such a sensational sequel.
BULLFINCH – Six months or so ago when he was working at Cook’s farm three miles out of Bullfinch Fred Raveney had two big ideas in his head. One was his infatuation for Dorothy Cook, a pretty girl just under sixteen years; The other was to attempt and solve the scientific impossibility of “perpetual motion.”‘
In both he was singularly unsuccessful!
He worked for hours on an ancient Ford and an oil drum to master perpetual motion. Dorothy repulsed his advances so consistently that Ravenvy left the farm. On Monday afternoon he met Dorothy on the road from Bullfinch and bailed her up with a revolver, suggesting that they should elope. Alarmed and indignant the girl fled for home and told her father what had occurred.
Dorothy May Cook
That night Raveney called again this time with the added armoury of a rifle. Rut despite his weapons he was ejected and as far as was known returned to Bullfinch. The police were advised of the incident, but Cook decided not to take out a warrant. Dorothy’s ordeal was resumed on Tuesday morning when Raveney, so it is alleged, again appeared at the house and commenced his hopeless love-making. Seeing him there Cook returned to the house and Raveney as he approached opened fire. Meantime Dorothy fled from the house and returned fire with her mothers help. She then appealed to Chris Hansen who was passing at the time to help her. Raveney, however flusrated any hopes from this source by aiming his gun at Hansen, and the miner decided the best course was to get help from Bullfinch.
When this alarming news was conveyed to the town, a posse was collected and all haste made to the farm. When the men arrived, the immigrant was still there, but as they approached he made off, and going to the house of Kelly, a neighbour, covered him with a gun and demanded the keys of his car. Kelly gamely refused and grabbing a rifle turned the tables on the marauder. Unluckily for himself Kelly senior didn’t understand the gun and when he pressed the trigger it did not fire. As the trigger clicked Raveney fired but the safety catch was on his revolver and the old man had a lucky escape.
Dorothy Cook returned Raveney’s fire from this window of her home whilst her mother handered her cartridges.
Bounding into the car Raveney made off along the Bullfinch road and as he raced away Cook and three others appeared on the road. Driving the car with one hand and brandishing a revolver in the other, Raveney made a maniacal figure and the quartet sheltered as best they could behind a tree. As the car swept past the posse, Cook fired and a bullet pierced the back seat and some petrol stacked there struck Raveney in the back. The car lurched to a standstill, and the posse, alter waiting for any further movement from the gunman, approached the car and found him dead.
The dead man, Raveney, is an Englishman aged about 20, who came to Western Australia some three years ago as a Salvation Army migrant. He was well known about the Bullfinch district, having worked for a time with a farmer named F. Mann and later with Cook. His persistent attention to Dorothy Cook terminating his employment there.
Mr Kelly’s Home
POLICE ON THE SCENE – While these exciting events were happening at Bullfinch word was sent to the police at Southern Cross twenty miles away and two constables hurried to the farm. Taking charge of the body, they conveyed it to the morgue at the Southern Cross Hospital, and then commenced preliminary Inquiries pending the arrival of Det. Sgt. Fraser who left from Perth on Tuesday night’s express.
Moya Sharp
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