A WOMAN SHOOTS A RIVAL

Dunstan Times, Issue 919, 28 November 1879, Page 3

A WOMAN SHOOTS A RIVAL

On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25th, Neffiu’s paddock, Waterloo, was the scene of a most sensational occurrence, and the inhabitants of the neighbourhood were thrown into a feverish state of excitement on the news spreading that a married woman, with a loaded revolver in hand, was chasing another woman through the paddock, and firing at her. Crowds of people rushed to the spot, when the would-be murderess was secured by two men, who conveyed her to the police station. There it was found that the weapon was a six-chamber revolver, and that four chambers had been recently discharged. On the prisoner, Margaret Jones, a married woman of about 30 years of age, residing in Well street, Redfern, sixteen more cartridges were found. Chapman, the woman who was shot at, is 24 years of age, and married to Thomas Chapman, but she is now living away from her husband in Little Abercrombie street. Constable Winter took the wounded woman to the infirmaiy, where Dr Vause found that each of the four shots had taken effect. There were two bruises three inches apart and two inches in diameter, besides other

severe wounds. At the enquiry the next morning at the Police Court, it was shown that on Sunday afternoon prisoner went to a house in Wellington street and enquired after Mrs Chapman. On being told that she was not there she sought her out, and on finding prosecutrix prisoner said she had something to tell her. They afterwards sat down, and prisoner said that her (prisoner’s) husband binned her clothes, and bad been beating her, and without further ado pi isoner got up, and drawing a revolver from under her shawl said, “Now I have got you, and i’ll have your life,” and so saying she aimed at prosecutrix’s head. Prosecutrix held up her hand, aud the shot took effect in it. Prosecutrix whilst getting up was shot again, and felt the pain in her side. Prosecutrix then called out “Murder,” and “Police,” and made towards some people who were standing at their doors opposite, but she fell, aud prisoner fired two or three more shots. The prisoner then ran away, but was soon after stopped by a man who wrenched the revolver from her. When brought hack to the spot where prosecutrix had fallen, pii soner swore terribly, aud said, “ I am sorry I did not put a bullet through your heart.” Prosecutrix in her evidence said that about two years ago she lived in the same street with prisoner, and that they had some drinks in a hotel before this occurrence. Jhe prisoner, who is a very intelligent person, severely cross-examined the prosecutrix, and failing to elicit any answers, she said that the prosecutrix had been drinking with her (prisoner’s) husband up till five o’clock in the morning, aud that she got from him 16s. That the woman’s name was not Emma Chapman, but Emma Wanl; that she was a woman of light character, and that she had been the cause of all her misery iu misleading her husband. The case was remanded for a few days. Prosecutrix asked the Bench not to allow bail, as prisoner said when taken to the watch-house that if she got bail she would kill her in the meantime. The husband of prisoner asked for bail, and said the whole affair was a drunken brawl and nothing else. The Bench refused bail, but said the husband could apply for it to the Supreme Court.—Sydney Town and Country Journal.