The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-30 00:00:00

THE BOW SHOOTING CASE.

, SOME STRANGE DISOLOSIIRE,S

At the Thames Police-court on Saturday, Henry
Walker, 40, a clerk, of 17, Albert Dwellings, Old
Ford-road, Bow, was charged with having attempted
to commit suicide by shooting himself with a revolver.
it may be recollected, as having been reported at the
time, that a married woman, named Alice Mechaux,
who had formed a connection with the defendant,
was a short time ago arrested on a charge of having
attempted to 'murder Walker. When Walker was
seen bleeding from a wound in the ear, Alice
Mechaux was in the room with him, having nothing
on but her chemise, and in answer to a question he
said, "She did it." On arrival at the London
Hospital, Walker said he had shot himself, and
the woman also denied having committed the
act. Mr. Lushington accordingly discharged
the woman. Mrs. Ellen Bryant, of 4 and 5,
Albert Dwellings, deposed that on March 24, about
a quarter to two p.m., she was passing the
prisoner's door when she heard a noise as though
Borne persons were quarrelling. Just afterwards she
heard Walker call out, "For God's sake open
the door. My sister has shot me." In answer to a
question, he said she had thrown his key into the
yard. She there found it with some female clothing.
Witness took the things upstairs, and went into the
room with the police. Mrs. Mechaux called out,
"Mrs. Bryant, bring me my clothes." Witness asked
her what was the matter, and she said, "He has done
it himself." That was in the prisoner's hearing. She
heard Walker say, "I will forgive her." When she
first went into the room Walker said, "My sister has
shot me. I threw the clothing out of the window to
prevent her making her escape." The Prisoner: I
admit the attempt. The witness, continuing, said
when she saw the prisoner at the hospital the next
day, he asked her where his sister was. She told him
that she was remanded, when he said, "I wish to
release her. I have done it myself." When witness
asked why he raised an alarm, he said it was his sister.
Constable A. Wilson, 17 K R., said that
at about two o'clock on the day in question, he,
in company with another officer, went to
Walker's room, and found him bleeding from the
right ear. In answer to witness, he said the woman
in the next room had done it. On going into the room
where the female was, he found the revolver. Witness
conveyed Walker to the station, and then to the
hespital. When there he said, "I must have been
stupid to have used such a small revolver as this, I
ought to have had a larger one." Walker said he
had thrown the clothes out of the window to detain
the female. Walker was dazed at the time. Sergt.
Haylett, 3 K, said that on the afternoon of the day in
question he was in charge of the Bow Station, when
Walker and the woman Mechaux was brought to the
station. He was suffering from a wound in the ear,
and said he had no charge against the woman. The
latter said she knew nothing of the occurrence. On
being asked again if he had any charge, he said "No."
When he was about to go to the hospital he said,
"Good bye, Alice, in case I don't see you again." She
asked him why he did it, when he made no reply.
Witness extracted three small pin-fire bullets from the
revolver and two empty cases, one of which had been
recently discharged. Alice Mechaux, of 37, West
Ham-lane, Stratford, said that on the day in question
she went to the defendant about 10 o'clock in the fore-
noon, and remained with him until about two o'clock.
When she got there they had some high words, and
he told her she had driven him mad. He also said
she had deceived him for many years, and the best
thing to do would be to put an end to everything. He
took the revolver from between some newspapers, and
went into the other room. She then heard two re-
ports, and the accused shouted out from the window
that witness had done it. He shouted out, "My
sister has shot me." He then put the revolver on the
mantelpiece in the room where witness was, saying,
" make you remember it for the rest of your life."
He was then bleeding from the ear, and she did not
think he knew what he was doing. Walker threw
her clothes out of the window, saying that was to
prevent her escape. They were then taken to the
station, where he said, I will forgive you "
(meaning for deceiving him). Witness was subse-
quently charged with the attempted murder, and
brought to that court, where, after being remanded,
she WRS discharged. Walker had only found out she
was married a few days. Dr. Percy S. Webster,
house surgeon at the London Hospital, said that he
examined Walker on his admission on the day in ques-
tion. He was then bleeding from the ear. Witness
examined the wound, which he took to be one caused
by a bullet, which had gone into the ear to a depth of
about two inches. There was also some blood in the
mouth, but be was not able to open it wide enough for
'witness to see anything. Two days later witness
found a sore at the back of the mouth, which might
have been caused by a bullet, and which the accused
said was the case. Witness was unable to extract
the bullet, owing to its depth, and it was still
there. When witness first saw him he asked how he
did it, when he said, "I am confused. Please
don't ask me any questions." The same evening
he said he had shot himself in the mouth and in
the ear. He repeated that he had done it
himself. Mr. Edward Charles Kilbey, solicitor, of
College-hill, Cannon-street, said that he had known
the prisoner for 19 years. He was a very quiet and
sensitive man. About two months ago witness re-
ceived a letter from him, in which he said he had
been in great trouble, and it was not worth while con-
tinuing his existence. When witness saw him in the
hospital he asked him to come to the court and ex-
plain that he did it himself. Witness saw the pri-
soner just before the occurrence, and he said he was
half mad when he wrote the letter, and asked witness
to burn it, which he did. The prisoner, having been
cautioned in the usual manner, said, "I am extremely
sorry to have given all this trouble. I admit the
attemp`. I cannot excuse it, but I apologise to your
Worship as representing the law. In extenuation, I
can only say I was very much worried by loss of em-
ployment and private trouble." Mr. Lushington
then committed the accused for trial, and refused
bail.