The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1873-03-08 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SINGULAR CHARGE OF SHOOTING. -Caroline Nash, 23, spinster, has been tried at Hertford, on a charge of feloniously shooting at George nummtrland, with latent to murder him. By other count. of the indictment the prisoner was charged with shooting at the same person with Intent to do him grievous bodily harm and to maim and disable him.  The prisoner, who is a good looking girl, had been eleven times summarily convicted of different offences, such as assaults, petty larceny, an also poaching, it being stated that the woe a remarkably good shot, and kept a gun in the house wht re she resided with her mother, at a place called Harmer green, in the vicinity of Welwyn. They occupied one of three cottages', the property of a woman named Darnell, who retd led in the same neighbourhood, and it would seem that the prisoner entertained an idea that she and her mother were entitled to the property, and that Mr,. Darnell had no right to it. The centre cottage had been for some time shut up and on the 17th of December Mrs. Darnell went to Harmer-green, accom panied by her brother-in-law and some other persons, and also the prosecutor, who is a conatable of the Herta Constabulary, for the purpose of opening and taking possession of the vacant dwelling. Vhen they arrived the j risoner and her mother were outside their cottage, and the moment the prisoner saw Mrs. Darnell approaching, guessing her object, she exclaimed that she would go and get her gun and "do for them," and ran into her cottage. The mother followed, and, thinking that the prisoner intended to bring out the gun and commit some act of violence, she shut the door, hoping by this means to keep her inside and prevent mischief. The prisoner, however, hakother intentions, for she fastened the door inside to prevent any one from interfering with her, and then proceeded deliberately to force out several bricks from the party wall, and thus made a hole four or five inches square, through which she pointed the muzzle of the gun into the front room of the empty cottage. After a short time bad elapsed the door of the empty cottage was forced open; and, upon Mrs. Darnell and the others entering the room they observed the muzzle of the gun pointed through the hole at them, and the prisoner, who was in a very excited state, threatened that if they did not quit the pla,e instantly she would shoot them. Mrs. Darnell and her brother-in-law at once turned on one side out of the range of the gun, and the prosecutor, who was standing near the door of the cottages, called out to the prisoner, "k en would not shoot me, would you ? " The prisoner r‘plied, " Yes ; I would shoot you or any other— who comes in here!" And a'most at the sameinstant she discharged the gun at him. Forte'. 'lately, he was standing in such a position that be did not receive the full charge; but many of the shots en.  tered hie penon and hie clothes, and thsdoor nersrwhich he was standing was riddled. The prosecutor fell to ' the ground, but luckily escaped without receistag any ' serious injury. After she had fired the gun the prisoner was heard to reload and ram down the charge, and she again repeated her threat to shoot any person who approached the place. Subsequently Mr. Hunt, superintendent of the constabulary, amved, and be asked the prisoner to open the door of the cottage and let him in, at the same time inquiring whether she was aware that she had shot the constable. She replied that she knew she had, but she refused to open the door, and still repeated her threats. After some time, however, she allowed the superintendent to enter, and he took the gun away from her and discharged it, and the prisoner was then taken into custody. Mr. Woollett, in his alilress to the jury on behalf of the prisoner, endeavoured to show that her only object was to frighten the party, and endeavour to induce them to desist horn taking forcible possession of the cottage, and that she had no intention to do the constable any injury. The jury, without any hesitation, found the prisoner guilty of shooting at the prosecutor with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. Mr. Justice Brett then sentenced the prisoner to be kept in penal servitude for five years.