DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7646, 25 May 1886, Page 5

DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER.

A young man named William Arthur Cook, who arrived from England about a year ago, and who has been employed at Messrs. Alston and Brown's, Melbourne, as a carter, has been arrested at Hotham on a oharge of attempting to murder Fanny Taylor, a domestic servant, in the employ of Mr. Black, of Mes&s. Black and Spence, confectioners, Hotham. The accused has been keeping company with Mies Taylor for some months, and there was some talk between the two at Mr. Black's about their being married. Cook wanted her to leave Mr. Black's employ and go into lodgings until they could be married, and on Taylor expressing herself averse to this arrangement, Cook, who seems to be a young man of very violent temper, left her, using strong threats. On the following evening he made his appearance at the house where Taylor was in service, and called to her to come out on the verandah. She went to the door, but would proceed no further, and the two conversed there for a short time. The girl again refused to comply with Cook's wish that she should leave the place, and he then deliberately fired at her with a revolver, which he presented. The ball missed her, and struck the wall above her head. She ran screaming into the parlour, Cook following. He fired a second shot, which also missed the girl. Mr. Black, the girl's employer, also appeared on the scene, and he grappled with Cook. After a struggle Black obtained the mastery, and he knocked the revolver out of Cook's hand, but the latter seized it again and palled the trigger, the ball passing through the window pane. Cook got up, and rushed into the street and made off. The police then arrived at Mr. Black's house, and Constable Dunlop was left at the house while another officer went to try and find Cook. About an hour afterwardc the latter again made his appearance at Mr. Black's, as it was thought likely Be would do. A souffle took place in the passage, as Cook tried to press forward, and Cook using a revolver again fired at and hit a Mr. King, a neighbour who had been called in, in the arm. Constable Dunlop struck away the weapon with his baton, and then, after a desperate struggle, Cook was overpowered and handcuffed, and taken to the lock-up, Mr. King was not seriously wounded.