WORSE THAN BLACKGUARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 15, 5 June 1914, Page 5

WORSE THAN BLACKGUARD.

A SLIGHTED WOMAN'S CRIME. SHOT HER PARAMOUR. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Received 4, 9.5 p.m. Sydney, June 4. Alice Mabel Rankin was acquitted on a charge oi wounding Irvine with intent to murder. Evidence was given that Irvine was separated from his wife. Certain relations had existed between him and Rankin for a considerable time. Rankin gave evidence that she did not know Irvino was married. After deceiving her, he promised to marry her. She prepared for the wedding, and he lent j her money. Irvine denied the promise of marriage, and declared that Rankin had attempted to extort money. Rankin's counsel pleaded that at the time of the shooting sho was laboring under an insane impulse. The Judge, in a scathing summing up, characterised Irvine as a blackguard, and even worse, but his bad conduct had not justified the shooting. If the jury considered the accused's mind at the time of the shooting was not under proper control they would acquit her. A cablegram on March 7 stated that a young woman named Alice Mabel Rankin, formerly a barmaid, walked into Hogan'a tailoring establishment in King street and fired four shots at an employee, Gilbert Irvine, two striking him. She then fired two shots into her own breast. The affair was the outcome of jealousy, arising out of Irvine's recent marriage.