ATTEMPT to MURDER a FAMILY AT BIRMINGHAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9130, 11 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

ATTEMPT to MURDER a FAMILY AT BIRMINGHAM.

An extraordinary affair occurrred on Juno 14 in Sutherland-street, Ash ton, a surburb of Birmingham, whereby three persons were seriously injured and a fouith narrowly escaped being killed. At -'J, Meriden Place, where the affair occurred, there resided Mrs. Annie Harris, wife of George Harris, a carpenter, who lias recently been away in W ales at work. Subsequent to his departure a young mail, named William Henry Jones, took lodgings at the house. Ho is a single man, '21 years of age, ami worked at Uldoury. On Wednesday -Mrs. Harris told him that her husband was coming home, and that lie would consequently have to goo other lodgings. lie stayed away from Meriden Place on Wednesday night, but appeared there about noon yesterday. He then hail a revolver in his possession, which, with a quantity of cartridges, he is said to have purchased in Birmingham on the previous afternoon. Harris returned from Wales early yesterday morning and the family were assembled in the back room shortly after twelve o'clock. There were four of them at home—Harris and his wife ami two children, one of them being an infant three months old ; the other eaild was in bed upstairs. Jones approached the house by the back way, and standing in the yard tired at Harris through the window. The shot took effect in the shoulder, and Harris ran out of the house. Jones then jumped through the window into the room ami tired several shots at Mrs. Harris, and another at the baby, all of them taking effect. This emptied tlie revolver, and although possessed of plenty of cartridges Jones did not reload it. Grasping the weapon by the barrel, he hit the woman several blows on the head, and proceeding unslairs served the child there in similar fashion. The noise of the shots created great excitement outside. Iwo men who were working near, named \lolloy and Hates, rushed into the yard, where they found Jones standing near the broken window. They caught hold of him, no resistance being offered, anil inspector Hawkes arriving on the scene soon afterwards, took him into custody. lie expressed 110 regret for what he had done ; on the contrary, he remarked to the inspector that he was only sorry for one thing, and that was that he had not killed the other two —meaning two children who were in school at the time. He was taken to Ash toil lock-up by the inspector. The most conflicting accounts are given of the ailair by the neighbours. According to one, Mrs. Harris was found lying in the yard bleeding from shot wounds in the back, shoulder, and injury to the head caused by a blow with the butt-end of the revolver. It is said, again, that a Mrs. Bott, who lived opposite, on hearing the lirst report ran into the house, and found the woman sitting in a chair by the fireplace. Anyhow, the fact remains that she is seriously hurt. The baby, William Harold, hail been shot in the head. The poor infant was picked up from under the table by a neighbour, and was bleeding freely. Upstairs the second child, Florence Mabel, aged two years and live months, was found lying on the bed on her face. .She had been battered on the head with the butt end of the weapon. Meanwhile, Harris took shelter in a neighbour's house, where he remained till the arrival of Inspector Hawkes. Ail the sufferers were promptly conveyed to the General Hospital. The worst case is that of the baby, who had been shot through the front of the skull, and will probably succumb. On June '21 Florence Mabel Harris, aged three years, one of the victims of the shooting affray which took place on the 14th inst. iff Sutherland-street, Aston, Birmingham, died in the Birmingham General Hospital. Jones was brought before he Aston .Magistrates and remanded on a charge of wilful murder, pending an inquest. The prisoner has since his arrest made a statement to the effect that he was misled by a married woman, and was prepared for the consequence of his crime.