WEDDING RING OR BULLET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11854, 4 January 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

WEDDING RING OR BULLET.

■c ' . — '&' '■■ - : ■ ..... THE HISTORY OF A CHEQUERED , : .."./ : COURTSHIP. •' y A '-'-; grocer's assistant: named Decimus Smith, of Wandsworth,-lias been committed for trial by the South-West London magistrate for threatening to murder Miss Ethel Palmer, a young woman of •-', Clapham Common, who had kept company with him. Miss Palmer, a good-looking ■ girl, smartly dressed, stated that she had known Smith for four years, and was courted by him for three, years. He broke the engagement oil about a year ago, but afterwards asked her to make it up. She refused, and he threatened to shoot her if she did not. Subsequently, when out' for a walk together, he asked her, to marry him, and on her refusal he said: "Do you see this?"— the same time producing a revolver—"l'll shoot you if you don't promise." Under fear she gave him the promise, and after that, they resumed thenformer relations. Later, however, she wrote to him saying that as. they did not seem to get on well together they had better part; and; in reply 'he sent her the following letter f— ' ■ "As you did not meet me on Sunday evening I take, it for, granted -that you intend, to defy me. You are " playing a dangerous game.. You r are .greatly mistaken if you think you" can turn me from my purpose. I have done a great deal to please you, because M believed you were in love ;:, with me. Now you admit you never intended to > marry me. I shall stop at nothing to have my revenge. You will have to choose between a wedding ring on your finger or a bullet through your head. I am determined to see it right through to the bitter ' end." ' ; After receiving that letter she gave* information to the police. When arrested Smith said: "She deceived me several times, caused another fellow to go to New Zealand, and I suppose she thought I was going to do the same thing. I don't care what becomes of me. I shan't climb down." . :; -, Smith: now told 1 the magistrate that ho had only threatened to shoot Miss Palmer if she played him false. It was only after she had thrown him over for the third time that he bought the revolver.