The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1886-08-21 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER AT STAMFORDHILL.  A dastardly outrage was perpetrated on Stamfordhill on Saturday eight. The nois'.3 of a pistol-shot alarmed the people, followed, as it was, by screams, and a cry of "I'm shot; murder." Two girls heard the cries, and saw a lady fall, and a man hastily rush off. The girls ran to the sufferer, and one of them, Alice White, recognised her as a Mrs. Tomlinson, the wife of a grocer, in the High-row.% Tottenham. Tne wounded woman knew the girl's voice, and said," Oh, Alice, fetch my husband." She, however, stayed with her, and sent her companion, Lucy Richards, for Mr. Tomlinson, who speedily arrived, and conveyed his wife to her home, where medical assistance was obtained. The miscreant must have watched his victim until she got to a secluded spot, and deliberately discharged a pistol at her head, inflicting a serious wound under her ear. Seeing her fall he ran away. The man's movements had been noticed by a number of people, who kept him in sight and followed him, but not one appears to have had the courage to detain him. He walked at a moderate pace to the Turnpike Gate public-house at the top of the hill, and as he left he was apprehended, and after being identified by Mrs. Tomlinson, was lodged in Tottenham Gaol. He is a one-armed man, well built and muscular, was respectably dressed, and is apparently about 30 years of age. His wife is a sister of Mrs. Tomlinson. It would seem that his home life had been very unhappy, and that his wife had sought refuge with her sister, or at any rate her hus'aand suspected Mrs. Tomlinson of harbouring her. This had excited his anger, and he was banging about all Saturday, watching for an opportunity, spending most of the aftetnoon in witnessing a cricket match on a vacant piece of land near Mr. Tomlinson's house. Fortunately the bullet did not enter Mrs. Tomlinson's skull, but glanced off, leaving, however, a serious flesh wound, causing great loss of blood, and the consequence of the shock to a lady who is in delicate health causes the gravest apprehension. The pri • soner makes no secret of his guilt, and volunteered to the police information of the place where he had thrown the pistol, an old lumber-yard in the Highroad. On Sunday morning the police found there a seven-chambered revolver, of which six chambers were still loaded and one had been discharged. In order to get to this place the prisoner must have walked a little distance down the hill and then returned, past the scene of the outrage, to the public. house.  William Esworthy, 28, described as a commission agent, of 29, South•street, Manchester-square, was brought before the magistrates at Enfield Petty Sessions on Monday morning, charged with shooting and wounding with intent to murder Harriet Tomlinson. Evidence was given as to the nature of the wound, and it was stated that Mrs. Tomlinson, though progressing favourably, would not be able to leave the house for a fortnight or more. Formal evicience was them given as to the arrest, and the prisoner was remanded. It has been ascertained that the prisoner was in the shop of a chemist named Barnard, opposite Tomlinson's, on Saturday afternoon, and that Mrs. Tomlinson happened to go in to make a purchase. The prisoner went up to her and said, " Give me that letter." She replied, "What letter? I don't know you." He said in a threatening tone, "I'll let you see whether you know me or not by-and-bye." Mrs. Tomlinson then loft the shop, went home, and saw no more of him until he shot her at half-past nine in the evening. ,