The Express. — 1868-08-19 (London, England)

SHOOTING WITH INTENT TO MURDER.  At the Southwark police-court, yesterday, Clara Dixon, 35, a well-dressed woman, of rather singular appearance, 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 coffeehouse 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 Whitechapel. Having no accommodation for her to sloop, and es it was a very wet night, be took her to the coffeehouse in question to sleep. He left her apparently comfortable 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, saying 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 indiscreet, 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 constable whether the prisoner had been seen by a medical man. Sergeant lags. 1 bf, the acting-inspector at the Bermondseypolice-etation, said that when the prisoner was brought in by the constable he sent for the divisional surgeon. 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" proceed 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 presented& 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 0/6I nineties of the roma be found the lead prodtioal.