The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-22 00:00:00

SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN KENT.

A shocking occurrence happened at Crayford on
Tuesday evening, resulting in the death of a young
woman and the arrest of a young man, by whom

she was shot.
Frederick Skinner, aged 26, employed as a stoker
at the Crayford Gas Works, was is a beer-shop
and commenced larking with a young woman
named Eliza Dlillia. He ultimately whirled her
into the brew-house, and in three or four minutes

of ter he was heard to say, " shoot you, Eliza,"
and the report of a gun was heard, on which the
neighbours rushed to the spot, and found gunpowder
smoke issuing from the room, the young woman
dead on the floor with part of her head blown away,
and her hat and hair in flames. A woman said,
" Fred, what have you done?" and he replied " I
have shot poor Eliza," after which he had several
severe fits which threatened to terminate his life.
Skinner was taken into custody. On the road to
the police-station he said the young woman got
hold of the gun and be took it from her ; and, be-
lieving it to be unloaded, he pointed it at her and
pulled the trigger twice without any effect, but on
pulling it a third time the gun went off and shot her
dead. It afterwards transpired that the gun had
been previously loaded, capped, and placed in the
little room to be in readiness to shoot birds from the
fruit trees by a man living at the beer house.
Frederick Skinner was brought up y esterday at
the Woolwich Police Court, charged with causing
the death of Eliza Mills, aged 26, a single woman,
living with her mother at Crayford.
Sergeant Reynolds, 13 R, said the previous even-
ing he received information at Bexley Heath
Police-station that a young woman had been shot
at Owen's beer-shop, Crayford. He went there in
company with a constable, and found the house
surrounded by a large number of people. In a
little room leading out of the corn-house he found

the body of the young woman Millis. A portion
of her face had been blown away by a gun-shot,
and her hatand hair partially burnt. Mr. Grantham,
a surgeon, of Crayford, was there, and stated death
was instantaneous. The prisoner was terribly agi-
tated, and was recovering from some severe fits
caused by the excitement. When told by witness
he must take him into custody the prisoner expressed
his willingness to accompany him, saying
it was an
accident, and that the deceased and he were playing
together, when she took the gun, and he took it from
her. He pointed the weapon towards her, believing
it was not loaded. (The sergeant here produced the
gun, an old rusty one, used for shooting birds.)
Sarah Andrew; living at 0 wen's-cottages, Cray-
ford, said that on hearing the report of the gun she
went to the place and found smoke issuing from the
room in question, and deceased's hat and hair on
fire. On the flames being extinguished they found
the young woman dead, and the prisoner leaned
over her and kissed her, weeping bitterly as he
did so.

Marthaßowkett, living at Owen's beershop, Cray-
ford, said that about 6 o'clock the previous evening
the prisoner left his work and came into 0 wen's
beershop and asked witness for a cup of tea, which
she refnsed to give him, and he left, saying,
•' I will go and ask Eli to give me one." The
deceased had been picking peas all day, and was in
the brew house boiling a kettle for her own tea.
The prisoner commenced larking with her, put his
arms round her waist, and whirled her into a little
room leading out of the brewhouse. They fell on
the floor together, the prisoner being uppermost. In
two or three minutes witness heard a gun dis-
bteolobneguinse for shooting birds from
belonging to
to Mr. Owen was kept
fruit trees. Witness's husband loaded and capped
dis-
charged.
nh atrhgee dli
. little A
room,
it, leaving the hammer down on the cap. The gun
was always kept in the same place, and the door
locked, but deceased bad had the key that evening
for the purpose of putting the peas there. The
prisoner and the deceased frequently ic larked" to-
gether, and on the evening in question they both
appeared in good temper.
Phoebe Heywood, living in Owen's-yard, Cray-
ford, said when deceased and prisoner were in the
little room she heard him say, " I will shoot you,
Eliza," and witness immediately afterwards heard
the report of a gun. She (witness) ran across the
yard to the place, and addressing the prisoner said,
4, Fred, what have you done ?" and he replied, in a
greatly agitated manner, " I have shot poor Eliza ;
but did not mean to do it,,
Mary Millis, the aged mother of the deceased,
was next examined, and exhibited the most painful
distress. She said she had once or twice seen her
daughter in the prisoner's company, but believed
they were not iu the habst of being much together.
Sergeant Reynolds said he understood there were
witnesses who could be jro ugh t forward to show
that there had been a more intimate acquaintance
between the prisoner and the deceased than the
mother appeared to be aware of.
Mr. Maude remanded the prisoner for the pro-
duction of the witnesses rlluded to.
The prisoner maintained a stolid silence through-
out the proceedings, and declined to cross-examine
the witnesses ; but was Evidently impressed with a
sense of hia serious and painful position.

NEW ROYALTY THE4TRE.--The King of the
liellenes and suite, attended by Major Teesdale, honoured
this theatrewith his promsPn Tuesday owning.