The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1891-11-06 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SERIOUS SHOOTING CASE NEAR MAESTEG.  About three p.m. on Friday William Butterel, aged 35 years, miner, of No. 1, Danygraig-row, Pontypridd, was taken to the Maesteg Policestation and charged with shooting with a revolver and attempting to murder James Matthews and Matthew Ellismore. The parties were on the platform of the Swansea Bay Railway Station atCymmer about 12.30, when an altercation took place between Matthews and Butterel respecting a woman, who was present, and who had on different occasions lived with each man as his wife. Buttered took out a pistol and emptied the six chambers, aiming at Matthews and another man. Both Matthews and the other man, whose name did not transpire, were wounded in their arms. The wounded men were conveyed to the Farmer's Arms and thence to Nantybar Cottages. They are under the care of Dr Hemming. The woman escaped uninjured. The prisoner was immediately arrested by Police-constable 210 (Phillips), who was on the platform at the time. On Saturday, at the Bridgend Folico-court (before Mr R. W. Llewellyn, Colonel Franklen, and Mr C. P. Davis), the accused George Buttril was brought up in custody charged with shooting and wounding two men, named James Matthews and Mathew Ellismore, at Cymmer, near Maesteg, en the previous day. Police-constable Edward Phillips, stationed at Cymmer, said that on Friday, about mid-day, he was standing on the crossing between the two railway stations at Cymmer. He heard a report of firearms coming from the direction of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay platform. He looked in that direction and saw the prisoner, who was about 30 yards off, shooting at several persons on the platform. Went down to where he was. He tired several shots before witness got to him. Saw that he had a revolver in his hand. He did not offer any resistance. As witness caught hold of him he was knocked down by somebody. Picked him up and examined the revolver, which was smoking at the time. Witness retained the revolver and put it in his pocket. Did not see whether he hit anybody when he fired. Witness examined the revolver and found that there were six chambers all recently discharged. Prisoner put his hand in his pocket and gave witness a handful of cartridges which fitted the revolver. Saw Jas. Matthews, Joseph Matthews and Matthew Ellimore there. The first and last showed him wounds in their arms and they complained of having been shot. Matthews was hurt in the left fore-arm, and Ellismore was wounded on the right side, just under the armpit. The station-master wired for a doctor, and Dr Hemming and his assistant, Dr Grant, arrived in half-an-hour from Abergwynfi. The men were taken to the Farmer's Arms beer-house at Cymmer and had since gone home. The bullets had not been extracted. Took the prisoner to the policestation. On the way he cautioned him and charged him with attempting to murder Jas Matthews and Matthew Ellismore, by shooting them with a revolver. He said "It's all through a woman." Witness searched him at the station and found a watch and chain, a pack of cards, brass tobacco box, some tobacco, .t. 3 8s 6d in money, a watch key, a box key, and two railway tickets from Cymmer to Aberavon on the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway. Cross-examined : Did not see James Matthews or Joseph Matthews kick prisoner, there were so many kicking and striking at him, but did see Matthew Ellismore do so. That was after they were shot. Someone had hold of the scarf round his neck when witness arrived. Afterwards conveyed him to Maesteg polire-staticn. On Friday night he received information that a man named William Francis, of Port Talbot, had been shot in the neck during the affray.  A certificate— was put -in from Dr Grant that James Matthews and Matthew Ellismore were confined to bed with bullet wounds on chest and breast respectively. The prisoner was then remanded for a week.