DENTIST FIRED AT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15672, 27 January 1913, Page 3 (Supplement)

DENTIST FIRED AT.

YOUNG WOMAN ARRESTED. CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER. AUCKLAND, January 9. A sensational incident oceurced in Smeeton's Buildings this morning, when a young woman named Kathleen Sommerville, ~*wl discharged a revolver at Mr W. J. Cbhrell, a well-known dentist, and jtrst missed by the narrowest of margins. Miss Ryan was taken to the police station and charged with attempted murder. She is a rather good looking woman about 28 years of age. She is a mechanical dentist by profession, and it is understood that she was thinking of going into business for hersslf. About four yean ago she was employed by Mr Colwell. During the afternoon Miss Ryan appeared before Mr C. E. Kettle, S.M., oc-i charge of having attempted to murder W. J. Colwell. Chief Detective M'Mahon applied for a remand, and asked that the bail should be substantial, as tho question was whether she would repeat the act. Mr Hackett, solicitor, said that on behalf »f Mr Colwell he had had occasion to write to her warning her that she would have to be bound over to keep the peace if she did not desist in her conduct towards Mr ColwelL The Magistrate remanded tho accused tijl to-morrow morning, and suggested that she should be detained for the night in the ' Salvation Ajrmy or some other home. It was ultimately agreed, on the suggestion of Chief Detective M'Mahon, that she should not be removed to the gaol but should spend the night at the police station. January 10. As a sequel to the shooting sensation yesterday Kathleen Sommerville appeared yesterday Kathleen Sommerville Ryan appeared again in court to-day. She was quiet and self-possessed. Chief Detective M'Mahon asked for a remand till Wednesday, when the case would be proceeded with. When Mr Gundy, who appeared for the accused, applied for bail the Chief Detective broadly outlined the case as it ap peared in his brief. An attachment, he said, had sprung up between the man and the accused when the latter was about 19 years of age, and had continued practically to date. Recently she heard that he was paying attentions to a widow—information which enraged her. She went yesterday afternoon to his office and demanded a definite answer from him as to his intentions. Ho told her that Ms final answer to her was " No." whereupon she produced a revolver and fired a shot at him. Mr Cutten: What is your client's age, •Mi Gundy? Mr Gundy: She is 25 years old. I will give an undertaking that she will be cared lor by her mother, and will not the man. The Chief Detective stated that the accused was a very industrious young woman Mid was practically the sole .support of her mother, who was over 60 wars of age. Bhe was a very decent girl, belonging to a very respectable family. Mr Gundy: We shall be able to prove to yonr Worship that there were certain facts in tho case. The Magistrate: The trouble is that no facts justity the firing of a revolver. Mr Gundy : If you fix bail you could make a provision that the girl be of good behaviour until her appearance on Wednesday. The Magistrate (to the Chief Detective): Yon intend to go on with the hearing on Wednesday? The Chief Detective: Yes. The Magistrate: I won't grant bail. Mr Gundy: Her mother is all alone, and I submit strongly that unless there is a dunce of her getting away The Magistrate : I am not afraid of hd not appearing. lam afraid that while she is still in this condition of mind she might try something again. I won't grant bail. January 15. At tho police court to-day Kathleen Somcrville Ryan, 25 years of age, was charged with attempting to murder William James Colwell, dentist, by shooting at him with a revolver.

Chief Detective M'Mahon stated that tho accused was in Mr Colwell's employ from December, 1907, till July, 1903. Some time after she left she telephoned to him and arranged to meet him at his rooms in Wellesley street East, stating she would like to see him. After that ho met her occasionally at his rooms, and ..they became very friendly. Theso relations continued till about five months ago, when Mr Colwell stated that the girl became a nuisance to him in her demands for money, and continually followed him about and accosted him. Ho told her that the friendship must cease, and she became, aocording to Mr Colwell, ruoro agressive. Four months ago, when Mr Colwell was spending a holiday at Waiwera, she telephoned to him, and later arrived there by launch, and demanded lo see him. She left by steamer the next day. Shortly before Christmas, by mutual agreement, he paid to her mother, in tho presence of solicitors, tho sum of £8 10s, and the girl signed a document that she would refrain, from interfering with him in futuro, but she became more attentive to Mr Colwell than ever. Two days later—on Thursday last—when he was going to his rooms about 10 a.m., she met him on the landing of the first floor. She said: "Will you meet me to-night?" He replied that he wished to have nothing more to do with her. Later ho received a telephone ring asking him to meet her, and he again refused. She tried to see him two or threo times during the morning. About 11.30 a.m. he received a message from bis nurso that the accused would like to see him when he was disengaged. He met, her at the waiting room door, and she said sho wanted 'him to meet her that night. He replied that ho had already said he did not wish to have anything mora to do with her. They talked there for about 10 minutes, and sho left, Mr Colwell returning to the surgery. A few minutes Inter he received a message that Miss Somcrville (the name by which accused was known) wanted an answer "Yes" or "No" from him to her request. He told the nurse to say " No." Immediately afterwards he saw the accused coming towards him, and he went to his office, where she followed him and closed the door. She was very excited, and said: ■" Wo'll soon settle it now." _ Ho 6at in his seat, and sho stood in the middle of tho office, and produced a revolver, saying "Will you meet mo? Yes or no?". He said: "Don't be silly; put it away." She ceded down, and put tho revolver inside her ooat. He left the office, but returned and found her standing there. Ho told her that if sho did not leave tho premises ho would send for the police. She became excited again, and walked towards his office chair. She must then havo closed and locked the door. Mr Colwell sat down, and tried to persuade her to leave, and she again became excited and refused. He got up and walked towards the door, saying he would send for the police. He was about to open the door when ho felt something fly past his face and heard a report. He looked round, and saw the ;rirl about two yards away from him with the revolver in her hand and smoko in tho room. Ho found- that the door was locked, and when ho opened it his nurse and assistants were trying to get, in. Tho accused left the office by tho side door, and was arrested upstairs. William James Colwell, the complainant, gave evidence at great length, which in the main was a repetition of the- chief detective's narrative.

Cross-examined by Sir Grundy witness said he had been in practice in Auckland for about 11 years. He was not particularly friendly with tho accused when she was working with him, and it was about nine months after eho left that she did become friendly. She left his employ because she did not got on well with tho assistant. Tho money ho had given her over a period of about two years amounted probably to £50 or £60. Tile biggest amount he had ever given her was £5 shortly before the holidays. Cross-examined in regard to the shootuic incident, witness donicd that ho had Jocked the door of his room himself. He concluded that the girl had done it, because it was locked when he tried to get out. He admitted having promised to help her with money to ftart a. business of her own, being forced to do so to keep her quiet. He had never kept the promise. On one of their meetings she hod asked him hysterically to part friends, and she wanted him to kiss her. Th : 6 was after the signing of the document It had never been arranged that it should be allowed to lapse between Ihom. He denied that on one occasion when he had arranged to meet her at home at 8 o'clock he arrived there a little before 10 o'clock in a drunken state. He did not recollect any evening particularly, Lecauvje ho saw hex so frequently at home, but he denied having ever gone there the worse of licruor, though he might have used bad language to the girl or her mother when he was excited. He had no recollection of having asked her if she had been out with another man when she had come into the houec after his arrival. lie donicd having ever struck tli" girl or her mother. Detective Hollis, Mr Colwell's nurse, and bis caretaker also give evidences

Mr Grundy applied for bail. Chief Detective M'Mahoa said tho principal difficulty in the way of allowing bail waa the possibility that tho girl's eta to 'of mind towards Mr Colwell was such that it would not be safe to release her. '

Mr Grundy said that if bail were allowed she would be properly looked after by her people, who' would not allow her to see Mr Colwcll. Failing bail, he asked that she ehould be sent to tho Salvation Army home. Tho Chief, Detective said that tho officer if. charge of the Salvation Army Rescue Homo had stated that she would guarantee to look after the accused. The magistrate had a conversation with tho accused and decided to commit her to the Salvation Army Home. She was bound over in her own bond of £10 and that of the adjutant of the homo for the 6amo amount not in any way to attempt to .see Mr Colwell and not to leave the home unless accompanied by an officer. The adjutant wa6 given authority to revoke her bond at any time.