The Sun. — 1859-06-21 (London, England)

DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT MURDER.—Charles Peter Duval, aged 17, residing at 8, Carnaby-street, Golden-square, and employed at 8, Henrietta-street,  in the saddlery trade, was charged before Mr. Beadon with discharging a loaded pistol at Mrs. Susannah Hinton, coffee carrier to workmen of No. ' 26A, Bury-street, St. James's, while passing along Jermyn-street, at one p.m. that day, with intent to kill and murder her, and whereby she was wounded. The prosecutrix,a woman of about 40 years of age, and who appeared in a very weak state, was accommodated with a seat while giving her evidence. She deposed as follows :—I carry out coffee to the tailor's men. I know prisoner and his family. I lodged in the same house between two and three years ago. His father is dead. On Saturday he came and asked if I knew where Mr. Gibbons lived, an old man who also lived in the house formerly. I told him "No," and he went away quietly. I never had any misunderstanding with him, and I do not know where the family live. I was in Jermyn-street about one o'clock today, near Mr. M'Millan's, and heard the report of what appeared to be a pistol, which stunned me, and I turned round and saw the prisoner throw a pistol in the road. I staggered. He said some words which I understood to be he meant to do it, but I am not positive. I was going towards Windmill-street. A gentleman caught me, and I was carried to the station, where I was attended by a surgeon. I think I heard him say to the policeman he meant to kill me, and I do not entertain a doubt but he did.  Prisoner declined to put any question to the proseeu trix.  Mr. John Arnold, 13, Great Union-street, Newington-causeway, waiter—l was in Jermyn-street about half-past one (the time alluded to), and heard the report of a pistol. Turning round I saw the prisoner throw the pistol in the road. He was on the opposite side of the way. I picked it up and found it warm, as though recently fired. Smoke was coming from it. He said, " I did it, and will give myself up." By Mr. Leadley, chief clerk—He was two or three yards from the prosecutrix. An officer came up, and I gave him in charge. Henry Hornblow, 82 C—l received the prisoner into my custody on this charge. On the way to the station he said, " I am sorry I did not kill the woman quite," and then, afterwards pulling out the two sharp-pointed instruments produced, he said, " I mean to do it, and I have made these to do the deed with, and stab her." At the station, on searching him, I found one bullet-shot, box of powder, and percussion caps ; also the sharp-pointed instruments produced. (These appear to be triangularsided files, smoothed and sharpened recently to a very sharp point.) He said she had been endeavouring to injure his mother, or parents, and he was determined she should do no more, as he meant to have her life. I saw the prosecutrix bleeding from the back of her neck. _  Cross-examined by prisoner—You did say you meant do it. (At this moment the witness was seized with a fit and fainted, and was obliged to be conveyed from the box. This was evidently from the heat of the weather, increased by the crowded state of the court.) The wound on prosecutrix's neck, which appeared to be about one-third of an inch in diameter, showed at least considerable abrasion of the skin, and was much blackened, perhaps from the powder. After her evidence had been taken she was conveyed to the hospital by order of the Court, and at the finish of the case, the prisoner, who maintained the utmost indifference throughout, to all appearance, was remanded for a week to procure the evidence of Mr. Tottill, the police surgeon, who had been immediately called to attend the prosecutrix. Shortly after his removal from the bar, a respectable-looking woman, in " widow's weeds," presented herself before Mr. Beadon, and said the prisoner was her son. She had missed him from seven o'clock in the morning, and had been to the station• houses to inquire for him, thinking some accident had happened, as he was rather " flighty in mind." Being informed of the charge and the remand, she left.