The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-21 00:00:00

A SON CHARGED WITH SHOOTING AT

HIS MOTHER.
COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.

There was considerable excitement in Dudley on
Saturday night on its being rumoured that another
attempted murder had taken place. Upon inquiry
it was ascertained that a miner named Frederick
Moore (22), of 10 Lawley Street Dock, had been
arrested on the charge of being armed with a loaded
pistol and threatening to shoot his mother and
other persons It is stated that prisoner went, home,
and expressed his intention of removing a bed to a
house at which his paramour resided. Mrs. More
refused permission, and he then used violent and
threatening language. He said, too, it she did not
allow him to take the bed away he should burn it.
In her presence he then loaded a pistol, and before
going upstairs repeated his determination as to the
bed. His mother continued to offer resistance, and
he pointed the pistol at her, but she could not say
whether the cap snapped.
At the police station afterwards, however, it was
found th a the cap had exploded, and that the pistol
contained a full charge of powder and two stone
marbles. Upon his going upstairs Mrs. More
shouted for help, and a man named 13enbow and his
son came in. Moore threat,ned to shoot them, and
upon other persons arriving and a crowd gathering
outside he set fire to the bed, and made his escape.
He was punned by a mob, and was seen to throw
away the pistol by Thomas Harper. He was over-
taken upon reaching Upper High Street, and M.
William Marston gave information toPolice-constable
Harvey, who at once took the prisoner into custody.
Upon being searched at the station a large quantity
of blasting powder and several caps and stone
marbles were found upon him.
On Monday, at Dudley Police Court, before
Messrs. Aston. Cochrane, James Fisher, and
Houghton, Frederick Moore (22), collier, 10, Law 1:y
Street, New Dock, was charged with "being armed
with a loaded pistol, and threatening to shoot his
mother, Hannah Moore."
-tAie erlovater
was charged with presenting a loaded pistol at his
mother on Saturday night. The pistol was ex-
amined at the police station. It was found to con-
tain a fall charge of powder and two stone marbles.
The prisoner had a bag of similar powder upon him,
several marbles, and an iron ramrod. The pistol
was capped, and the hammer had fallen on.the cap,
but fortunately no explosion followed.
Hannah Moore said she was the mother of the
prisoner, who had been living with her since Christ-
mas. He came home sober on Saturday night, and
there was a quarrel about a bed which he wished to
take away. It was her bed and she refused to part
with it. They struggled for the bed, and the
prisoner raised a poker to her, and threatened to
knock her brains out. He left the house shortly
afterwards, and upon his return brought a pistol
out of the cupboard. He loaded it with powder out
of a jug, with two marbles out of the kitchen, and
with some bits of paper. He then put a cap on the
pistol, and sz id he would shoot the first - man
who came in and touched the bed. Turning to his
mother, prisoner pointed the pistol full at her, anl
said, "I will blow your -- brains out." Shortly
afterwards she saw smoke in the bed room, and
found that he had set the bed on fire. She cried
'Murder !" and the neighbours came in. Her son
then threw the bed, on fire as it was, down stairs.
The bed was removed, and then prisoner said he
would find out who had it and kill them. He ran
out of the house, followed by a crowd.
Cross-ext‘minecl : Did not hear the cap snap.
The bed was hers, and she would not let her son
have it.
William Benbow, •a nailer, gave corroborative
evidence, and said prisoner pointed the pistol at
him and threatened to shoot him.
Benjamin Binnell said he saw the prisoner in the
street with the pistol, and followed him to take it
from him. Prisoner threatened him. but witness
hold him until Police-constable Harvey came up.
Prisoner admitted to him that he had some rough
powder on him.
Thomas Harper said he saw the prisoner throw
away the pistol. Witness gave the weapon to
Chief Superintendent Burton, who came up.
Prisoner was then formally charged, but he said
he wished to say nothing. lie was then committed
to the Sessions.