The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1864-06-25 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT MURDER BY A YOUNG WOMAN.  At the Gainsborofign Police station, on Saturday, a young woman named Martha Howell, a schoolmistress, residing at Springthorpe, was brought up in custody, charged with having attempted to shoot Emma Johnson, music teacher, living at the simonise° the offence havinehoen committed at torringbam), The prosecutth said:—  On the evening of the 17th, the prisoner came to our house, and asked me if I would go to Springthorpe the following Saturday, and spend Sunday with her. She remained till about seven o'clock. At that time four young ladies and myself set off to go part of the way home with the prisoner. On the road the prisoner frequently asked me to go and stay with her. I said I could not. When we arrived at the woodside at Somerby, where there is a foothpath alongside of it leading across a field, I gave way for the prisoner to go through the handgate first. She turned when about a yard from me, and, pulling a pistol from her pocket. said, " I'll shoot you." I said, "No. don't." She pointed the pistol close to my right ear, and fired it. I felt the fire upon my face, and something seemed to go through my ear. I fell down, and after about half a minute I got up, and the prisoner had moved to the oppolifte side of me. She had the pistol in her hand, and was freling in her pocket. I ran away, and the prisoner shouted to the other girls to hold me. She ran alter me a short distance. I went to a farmhouse, about half a mile on the way back to Gainsborough. They sent for a policeman. About a year and a half ago, the prisoner tried to bring me into a family quarrel of hers. We had some words at the time, and since then we have never been so friendly as we were before. Several times since, I have been to her house to stay all night. When I have been teaching the girls at the prisoner's school music, I have always slept with her, and she has many times got up in the middle of the night and pointed a pistol at me, threatening to shoot me. I did not know whether it was loaded or not There was generally none else in the house besides our two selves. She had often complained that I did not go so much to stay with Vint I went to her friends with whom she had quarrelled. I always considered here very passionate woman. Two of the young ladies who accompanied the prosecutrix in the walk gave corroborative evidence respecting the prisoner firing the pistol. They also added that she warned them to stand by and she would not hurt them. Elizabeth Milburn, living at Springthorpe, deposed : On the evening of the 17th inst. I went into the prisoner's house, she keying sent for me RA she was very poorly. She said, "Give me a little porter, I'm very iIL" I gave her a little. She asked me for some warm water. I gave her some in a wash-hands basin. She was lying on the bed. I said, "What is the matter?" and she replied, "Do take my clothes off." She looked very much excited, and said, "I may as well confess to you, I've shot Miss Johnson, and I'm only sorry I've net shot her dead." I said, "What have you shot her with ?" She replied, "A pistol; it is in my pocket." I looked in her pocket and found the pistol produced, two balls and some shot wrapped in brown paper, a little powder, and two caps. The pistol was very bloody, I wad very much frightened i and kept the pistol. Her right hand was hurt. She said she had done it with the pistol. The prisoner added that after she had shot Miss-Johnson she intended to die at her feet. Miss Howell was committed to take her trial at the I next Lincoln assizes.