The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1894-02-10 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NOVEL ATTEMPT TO PREVENT A WEDDING.  An incident of the highest sensational character occurred in Price-street on. Monday afternoon, and almost proved fatal to its originator. It appears from what has since transpired that a wedding was about to take place at the Brunswick Wesleyan Chapel. The bridegroom was the son of Mr. James, a well-known tradesman whose business establishment is in Churchroad, Higher Tranmere, the bride was the daughter of Mr. Miller, manager for Maas. Welsby and Deakin, wine and spirit merchants, Chester- street. Mini Miller has s brother named Frederick, whose age is about twenty, and for some time past the mental condition of this youth has been a source of anxiety to his family. He was invited to engage in the approaching festivities, and on Saturday night bought some little articles of personal adornment for the occasion. On Sunday, however, he took another turn, and after breakfasting with his family, retired to his own bedroom and remained there the rest of the day. On the morning of the wldding, he was heard muttering vague threats of whatlhe would do, and to these Mr. Miller attached so much importance that he communicated with the police. Detectiveofficer Potts, therefore, went to (Theater-street and watched the bridal party off, but saw no signs of young Miller. Had he had the least idea the lad possessed firearms the watch for him would have been much stricter, but at this time no one seems to have been acquainted with this important factor. All went well, therefore, until the bridal party reached the chapel, when they heard a shot fired, followed shortly afterwards by a second. The startled bride seeing her brother fall prone upon the pavement herself almost fell fainting in her father's arms. Mr. Miller soothed her, and endeavoured to inspire her with a portion of his equanimity, and he so far succeeded as to enable her to enter the chapel and go through the interesting ceremony. Busy rumour soon magnified the melancholy event. It was said that young Miller had first fired at his sister and then turned the weapon against himself on seeing he had missed his aim. This story, however, from inquiries made by the police, is proved manifestly untrue. In the first place, the weapon which the lad possessed was a five-chambered revolver, an imitation of Colts' famous Bulldog pattern, short in the barrel but. large in the bore, and throwing, comparatively with its size, a very heavy -bullet. After the lad had shot himself he was conveyed to Dr. Mason's surgery in Pricestreet which was almost opposite. The police promptly took charge of the revolver. They found that only two chambers had been discharged; the other three were still loaded, so that if the led had intended to injure the wedding proceesion he had still three shots at his disposal before he turned the laat one upon himself. The theory is that he simply fired the revolvor once in order to see if the barrel V7llBworkin4 properly before attemping to commit suicide and in proof of this it is alleged that the first shot was fired into the hoarding at the top of Price. street, where the bullet was found to have lodged. Meantime Dr. Mason having.done all that he could, the wounded youth was conveyed to the Borough hospital in a cab and there detained as an inpatient. An examination revealed the fact that before firing he had opened his vest placing the muzzle close to his singlet His wound is a very severe one, and is located Immediately below the left breast, and, in fact, just below the heart. A consultation was held on Monday afternoon, and an attempt has been made to probe the wound and recover the ball. The attempt was not suer= and at present it is believed that the ball is in the left lung. Under the circumstances, however, young Miller is programing as favourably as can be expected, and it must be some satisfaction to his re- , latives to think that, in spite of the cloud which this 1 unhappy event cast over the event, the wedding still took place. From an interview which our representative had with the lad's fatheron Tuesday afternoon, he learnt that thefamilyhad not the slightest idea that the lad intended to commitiontshanact. From whencehe Unred• loaded revolver isto them a mystery. He ocauae of complaint either against his sister or against the bridegroom. It IS said y,oung Miller was a runner with Messrs. Higgins and Smith, imdertakers end carriage proprietors, and that it was bemuse his sister would not give him an order for them to supply the wedding carriages that he took this way to make an implement scene. This story is wholly untrue. His history may he very briefly told. Some years ago he was employed in the Borough Treasurer's department, but took a dislike to settled office work and left. Then his father obtained him • situation at a Liverpool firm, but he did not stay there very long. He had a great fondness for horses and dogs, and it was this which caused him to seek the acquaintance of Messrs. Higgins, and Smith's employees, but he web not regnlarly engaged in their service. His disposition has 'dwells been an unsettled one, and especially has this been the case of late. It is .probable that he was suffering from a fit of mental aberration at the time he shot himself.