The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1895-08-03 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NEW FERRY SENSATION. THE MARRIED MAN AND THE WIDOW.  ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.  New Ferry has only narrowlyescaped the stigma of tragedy, though even now there may be • fatal climax to the deed enacted on Wednesday night at • hauls in Grove-etreet The victim of the murderous attack is • widow living with her son (21) at 31, Grove-street, New Ferry. About nine years ago, when living in Liverpool, she was introduced to a man named John Peterson (C), who sines then appears to have been infatuated with her, though he has • wife still living. Peterson is • Swede, is of fuse physique, and has been employed as a messenger by • Liverpool shipping farm. Font years ago, in MI, the widow met Peterson in Stanley-road, Liverpool, when he told her his wife had left him, and he asked her if he might come and lodge with her. Eventually Peterson came, paying 4s. • week and taking • room. After about Mr months he commenced to drink and create disturbances until at length the widow tried to rid herself of him, but without avaiL Determined to free herself from the man's permeation she rented another house in another part of Liverpool, but Peterson continued to find her out, and was a source of considerable alarm and sandal • she has removed five or six times to get out of Ills way, but the man continued to follow her with his unwelcome attentions. In March last the woman was living in Bootie, and Peterson Mill creating mischief, she had him arrested for threatening to shoot her, and he was fined and bound over to f keep the pesos or six months. In June the widow AMMO to live at New Ferry and until Wednesday night she had not seen or heard of Peterson mace Match. On the night named she was letting inilhe kitchen at half-past ten, waiting for her eon, when a knock came to the door. On opening it a man—she did not reqgni.e Peterson at the time— in a grafi voice asked, "Who lives here?' She replied, Who are yen?" and shouted for her eon. Peterson said, "13l come in if there are s thousand eons in the hones." He was intoxicated. The women rushed through the door to the polioe station almost opponte, and in • few minutes returned with P.O. Parrot. Meantime Peterson had gone in the house, and hearing the voice.of the widow and policeman i n the garden outride he came out and deliberately discharged • folly-loaded six-chambered revolver. It was quite dark at the time, but the bullet, which is described as being • half-ounce No. 4 ball, was obviously intended for the widow. Am it was the bullet whizzed harmlessly peat the officer's face. The woman 104 C011116008013N, and was removed into • neighbour's house. Having , discharged the revolver, Peterson backed into the ' house, and sitting on a chair by the fire-plate, pointed the revolver to his own mouth and fired. Blood in I large quantitieti oozed from the man's mouth, the ball having evidently lodged in the root of the tongue. Peterson was removed in an 1:13200118CIOUS condition to the police station, where Dr. Heatherly ordered his removal at once to the Borough Hospital. He stall lies in • critical condition and the bullet haa not yet been extracted. Though naturally suffering from nervous shock, Petterson's unfortunate victim is none the worse for her miraculous escape.