SHOOTING A LAWYER AT A DIVORCE TRIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9142, 25 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHOOTING A LAWYER AT A DIVORCE TRIAL.

The proceedings in a lute divorce suit at Chicago Mere interrupted by a painful incident. .Mrs. Rawson, who is endeavouring to obtain a divorce from her husband, suddenly " emptied Iter revolver in court." The object of this proceeding was to shoot Col. H. C. Whitney, her husband's lawyer, who, although he avoided by his agility losing his life, seems to have had a narrow escape. He was bending over some papers, absorbed in their contents, when Mrs. Rawson moved towards him with an expression on her face which, as he looked upon her approach, warned him that she "meant business." Lawyer Whitney at once jumped to his feet and retreated hastily. Mrs. Rawson then raised the revolver and fired, the bullet crashing in the side of .Judge Jamieson's desk. Whitney, now fully realising the danger of the situation, threw himself on his hands and knees and tried to crawl under the clerk's desk. While in this position Mrs. Rawson fired four shots at him. Two of the shots hit him, and lie was wounded seriously but not fatally. Mrs. Rawson was seized by the court officials, and on the following day was indicted for attempting to commit murder. Judge Jamieson was deeply affected by this occurrence. " I cannot," he feelingly said to a reporter, go on with the Rawson trial. I am prejudiced against that woman. It was the alimony decision a few days ago that sent her ' gunning.' No, sir, they will have to get some other judge to sit in the case." One of the New York papers expresses a hope that this sad story will tend "to make divorce suits odious." If it has this effect, Mrs. Rawson will. not. have emptied her revolver in vain.