A LOVERS REVENGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9491, 21 April 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

A LOVERS REVENGE.

A BARMAID SHOT IN LONDON. j Shortly after threo o'clock one reootib afternoon a man of foreign appearance entered the private bar of a public-house known as the Old Bull's Head, in New Oxford-street, London, and deliberately pointing a revolver at the barmaid fired at her. After firing the shot the man left the public-house, but was detained, and though he struggled fiercely was handed over to a constable and taken to Bow-streeb Police Station. The wounded woman was at once conveyed to Charing Cross Hospital, where it was found the bullet had entered the left shoulder and had passed to the back. The shoulder was probed by the doctors at the hospital and the bulleb successfully extracted. TUB MAN'S ANTECEDENTS. From inquiries made by a press representative (says a London paper) it appears the man's name is George Collins, and that ho is biHard marker at the Crown Hotel, in Brewer-street, Piccadilly, and has been in his situation for the past seven years. The barmaid's name is Emily Watson, and so far as at present known has no other address than that of the Old Bull's Head public-house. Ten months ago Miss Watson was a housemaid ab the Crown Hotel, and her assailant became enamoured of her. For some reason, best known to herself, Miss Watson left the Crown Hotel a month after entering upon her duties, and went soon afterwards to live with Collins in a house in Alpha Place, Tottenham Court Road. JEALOUSY ROUSED. Up to two months ago the couple_liv6d very happily together, bub ab this time a strangera West End publican—came between them, and roused a feeling of jealousy in Collins. This led to daily quarrels between the supposed man and wife. The climax was reached a month ago by the woman suddenly leaving Alpha Place and taking up her residence with the publican. Collins then sought to trace the woman, but did nob succeed. lb was only on Saturday (March 3) that Miss Watson applied for the posit of barmaid ab the Old Bull's Head, and was appointed. She commenced her duties on Monday morning, and ib seems thab. a friend who had £eon her there informed Collins. About noon Collins visited the woman and had some conversation with her. Ab present Miss Watson is too ill to state the facbs of the conversation, bub ib iB understood thab Collins endeafoured to persuade her to come back to mm, and she absolutely refused to do so. Collins left the bar in a temper, and Miss Watson thought she had gob rid of him for ever. Ib seems, however, thab she let out the name of the publican with whom she had been living, OBTAINING A REVOLVER. After leaving Miss Watson, Collins, ib is asserted, proceeded to a gunsmith's and

purchased a revolver and a bo* of cartridges. He returned to the Old Bull's Head, but Miss Watson was off duty, and did not again appear in' the bar until three o'clock. A few minutes after, pointing the loaded revolver at Miss Watson's breast, Collins said, " Look out." Directly the girl saw the pistol she screamed, "Oh, Charley, don'b r but before the words were out of her mouth the pistol had been discnarged, and the bullet found a place in Miss Watson's left shoulder. The girl's shrieks brought assistance, and several strangers, seeing Collins leaving the publichouse with a smoking pistol in his hand, stopped him. He struggled to get free, and shouted out, " Let me go to do for that man, then I'll shoob myself." " When a policeman arrived ho took Collins to Bowstreet Police Station. On Collins being searched a revolver was found in his pocket. Only one chamber was empty, the remaining four being loaded with bullets similar to the one extracted from Miss Watson's .shoulder. Forty-five cartridges were found in the man's pocket. Collins' master gives him an excellent character, and thinks so highly of him that he is providing for his defence. On inquiring at Charing Cross Hospital a press representative was informed thab Miss Watson, although not out of danger, was much better, and there was every hope of her ultimate recovery. "I LOVE iOO, AND COULu NOT HELP IT." At Bow-streeb Police Court Collins was charged witn attempting to murder Miss Watson. The victim, who is in Cnaring Cross Hospital, was reported co bo tot* unwell to appear. Tom Culiey, a potman ab the Bull's Head, stated that at half-past two on Tuesday afternoon ne neard a report in the private bar and rushed in. Prisoner was there with a revolver in his hand, ana he was just putting ib into his pocket. He saw the girl put her left hand to her right shoulder, and he noticed blood on her fingers. The barmaid said, " Oh, Charley, I never thought you woula have done cms to me." Prisoner said, "I love you, and could nob help it." The girl said, "You have got me out of one or two places, and this is my last chance." Witness held prisoner until a policeman arrived. PRISONER'S STATEMENTS. Detective-sergeant Record said that when he told prisoner that he would be charged with attempting 1 to murder the girl, he said, "I did nob want to hurt her. I did ib to prevent her having any other man, for I cannot help loving her. I would eooner have done ib to the man than to her." Witness searched the prisoner, and in his coat pocket found 42 cartridges. That morning, just outside the courb, prisoner said, "Is she dead 1" Witness replied, " No, she is getting on all right." Prisoner said, " I did not fire the revolver to shoob her. I intended .bo shoot myself, but wanted to see her once more before I died." Prisoner was remanded. Miss Watson is doing very well," and no fatal consequences are likely to follow the bullet wound. She is suffering from great shock to bhe system, and exhaustion from loss of blood.