The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1882-03-11 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CHARGE OF SHOOTING WITH INTENT . TO MURDER.  In London, at the Central Criminal Court, on Monday, Emil Fanselow, 24, a waiter, was indicted for shooting at Clara Annie Byford with intent to murder her. Mr. G. S. Griffiths conducted the prosecution; Mr. Horace Avory appeared for the defence. The opening statement of counsel went to show that the prisoner in December last was in the employment of Mrs. Caroline Furn3y, at a boarding-house in Southwick-crescent, Paddington, London, as a waiter. The prosecutrix was in the same service as housemaid, and had been so for two years. It seemed that the prisoner had conceiyed an affection for the girl, but she gave him .no encouragement, though there was no actual quarrel between them. On the 13th of December he borrowed a five-chambered revolver from a friend, and bought some cartridges, and he showed them to the prosecutrix. On the evening of the 19th, while the prosecutrix was in the kitchen preparing the tea, the prisoner attempted to kiss her. She resented it, and he then placed the revolver against her left side, just above the heart, and fired twice, both bullets entering her body, and they had not yet been extracted. A Mr. Scott, who was a boarder in the house, heard the shot., and met the prosecutrix, who fell into his arms. He noticed that her dress was on fire, and he extinguished it, and went for a doctor and a policeman. When an officer arrived he found the prisoner lying upon his bed with his throat cut, a razor in his hand, and a pistol lying on a chest of drawers with three chambers discharged, and it was further discovered that he had shot himself in the breast, the bullet injuring one of the lungs. The prisoner stated that he shot her because he loved her, and he handed the constable a letter, couched in the most extravagant language, in which he expressed his grief at the affection he entertained for her not being reciprocated, and in a further statement he asserted that he had suffered from pains in the head, and at the time in question had been drinking to excess. Mr. Avory submitted that the prosecution had not made out that the prisoner had any intention to take the young woman's life, and consequently the case was merely one of unlawfully shooting her. Mr. Justice Hawkins, in summing up, expressed a wish that there was some law in existence which would prevent the facility with which revolvers were obtained and used. , The jury found the prisoner Guilty of shooting with intent to murder. Mr. Justice Hawkins postponed sentence.  , On Tuesday the prisoner was brought up to receive judgment. Mr. Justice Hawkins, in passing sentence, said he believed that the act was not the result of long premeditation, and, taking into consideration all the circumstances, he saw a wide difference between the prisoner's case and the case of a man who had been guilty of long premeditated brutality, and he, therefore, sentenced the prisoner to five years' penal servitude. .  The prisoner, who had been very much affected during his Lordship's remarks, which were translated by M. Albert, asked whether after baying been in prison some time he might be allowed to petition Her Majesty, with a view to 9, mitigation of the sentence.  Mr. Justice Hawkins replied that he might if he chose present such a petition, and he had no doubt that it would be considered im the proper quarter, The prisoner was then removed.