Widnes Examiner. — 1886-10-16 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SHOCKING ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT  EARLESTOWN. On Thursday a shocking attempt to commit suicide was made at Earlestown under somewhnt romantic circumstances. Nearly two years ago James Kinsey, a respectable middle-aged nagn, who was employed as chief engineer on the S.S. Orpheus was married to a Miss Ann Mottram, daughter of Mr. John Mottram, a smith at the Viaduct Waggon Works, who lived at 147, Earle-street, Earlestown. For a short time Mr. and Mrs. McKinsey lived together at Walton, Liverpool, and the husband resumed his dutieaen board ship. Unfortunately, however, Mrs. MainseY, it is stated, suffered considerable violence at the hands of her husband, and in consequence she left him and returned to her father's house at Earlestown. This was about nine months ago, and since then she has continued to live there. Mr. McKinsey afterwards visited his father-in-law's house, but the visits were far from friendly. From April last, 111) ' to Thursiay in last week, be was not seen in the neighborhood, but on the day named he again turned up and demanded admittance. As Mr. Mottram was then engaged at his work, and both Mrs Mottram and her daughter—the visitor's wife—were ill in heel, McKinsey was not admitt.ed. The same afternoon Mr. McKinsey instructed, a local solicitot's clerk to visit Mr. Mottram's house and try to arrange a meeting between him and his wife. The latter absolutely de • clined to see her husband, and the matter then dropped. On Thursday afternoon, after Mr. Mottram had gone to work, a girl brought word to Mrs. Mottram that her daughter's husband was at a public house a few hundred yards away. The doors were then locked. Not many minutes elapsed before McKinsey appeared at the front door, and directly afterwards a loud report was heard. The shecking discovery was then made that McKinsey had shot himself just below the left ear. He fell headlong across the step, and the walk leading from the garden gate to the front door of the house. The report of a firearm quickly brought a crowd together, and fortunately Dr. J. N. Patterson was one of the first to arrive. The injured man was found lying insensible, and by his side was a new six-chambered revolver, four barrels of which were still loaded wth ball cartridges. The bullet was imbedded in his heed, and blood was oozing from the wound. Mc, Kinsey was taken to the railway station on a stretcher, and was afterwards placed in the guard's van of the 4 p.m. express for Liverpool. He remained unconscious all the time, and his removal was conducted under the arrangements of P.C. Hughes, of Earlestown. He was taken to Liverpool Infirmary. Inquiries have elicited that Mr. Kinsey, at the time of his marriage with Miss Mottram, was a widower with four children, who are still living at Liverpool. In addition to DT. Patterson, Dr. Fouiston, of Earlestown, was also present at the scene of the occurrence, shortly after the shot had been fired. The motive for McKinsey visiting his wife's home with a new revolver appears to indicate premeditation to commit crime of some character. The affair has caused some excit,ment in the neighbourhood. On inquiry at the Liverpool Infirmary, late on Thursday' night, the injured man was found to be in a precarious condition.