The Express.
London, England, 1868-08-19 00:00:00

SHOOTING WITH INTENT TO MURDER.

At the Southwark police-court, yesterday, Clara
Dixon, 35, a well-dressed woman, of rather singular ap-
pearance, was placed at the bar, before Mr. Partridge,
charged with firing a loaded six-chambered revolver at
Annie Mama, with intent to shoot her.
. . .

The prosecut; ix, a widow, said that she kept a coffee-
house at 77, Old Kent-road. Between 9 and 10 o'clock
on the previous night the prisoner came to her house with
an elderly man, who stated he was her father, and asked
if she could accommodate her with a bed. They seemed
to be very respectable persons, and not noticing
anything particular in her conduct she replied
in the affirmative, and got a bed ready for her.
The old gentleman remained talking with her in
the coffee-room until about 11 o'clock, when he left the
house, and the prisoner was shown to her room. Witness
remained up to admit some lodgers who were oat, and a
little before 12 o'clock she beard the prisoner call out,
" There's a man up the chimney." Witness went to her
and told her she was mistaken, and returned to the room
adjoining. A few minutes after that the prisoner came
to the bedroom-door with a revolver in hernghthand, and
without saying a word she presented it toward' her and
fired it off. The bullet passed near her head, and struck
the cornice. Witness ran away front her, calling out
" Police " and " Murder," and • few minutes afterwards
her door was forced open, and the prisoner was secured
before she bad au opportunity of firing the pistol at her
again.
In answer to the magistrate the witness said that when
she &bowed the prisoner to her bed room she seemed quite
correct. She did not see that she had a pistol then.
Thomas Jennings, a very respectable looking old man,
said that he was a shoemaker, residing in Park-place,
Lock's-fields. The prisoner was his daughter and the
wife of a seaman at present on foreign service. He had
not seen her for a long time until the previous day, when
she called on him and told him she was living at White-
chapel. Having no accommodation for her to sloop, and
es it was a very wet night, be took her to the coffee-
house in question to sleep. He left her apparently com-
fortable a little before 11, and about two hours afterwards
he was called to the station-house, where ho found her
charged with shooting at the proeecutrix.
In answer to the magistrate, he said that he knew she
had a pistol when he left her, and he had tried all he
could to get it from her. She refused to give it him, say-
ing she intended to shoot herself with it. He took no
notice of that, as be thought it was not leaded.
Mr. Partridge *eked if he did not know she was queer
in her mind.
Witness replied thai he knew that her mind was a little
affected, hut he never thought the pistol was loaded, or
that she ever intended to use it.
Mr. Partridge told him his conduct was very indis-
creet, to say the least of it, to leave his daughter with
stranger in the possession of such a dy weapon.
When he found he could not get itirom her; -he should
have communicated with the police. He asked the con-
stable whether the prisoner had been seen by a medical
man.
Sergeant lags. 1 bf, the acting-inspector at the Ber-
mondseypolice-etation, said that when the prisoner was
brought in by the constable he sent for the divisional sur-
geon. who examined her. and was of opinion that she was
Labouring under some delusion.
Thomas Connor, 181 P, said that between 11 and 12 on
the previous night he was on duty in the Old Kent-read
when he heard the cries of "Murder" and "Police" pro-
ceed from the coffee-house kept bytheprosecutriz. Finding
the house shut up he with the assistance of another man
burst in the door. Having lighted the gas be proceeded
to the rear of the house, followed byseveralpersoos, wizen
the prisoner came out of a room in her night dress and pre-
sented& revolver at them. Wanes* instantly rushed upon/ser
when she put the muzzle against his breast, and was Aced
to pail the tngger, when he fortunately wrenched the weapon
I from her. and secured her. He found the pistol to be a
six-chambered revolver, live of which were loaded and
canned, and the other had been recently fired off. Oa 0/6-
I nineties of the roma be found the lead prodtioal.