ATTEMPT TO KILL SIR. E. HENRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1642, 8 January 1913, Page 3

ATTEMPT TO KILL SIR. E. HENRY.

CHIEF OF LONDON POLICE. SHOT AT HIS PEONT DOOR. . An attempt was mhdo on November 27 to assassinate Sir- Edward Henry, the Chief Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police. . The assailant was a man named Bowes, aged twenty-five, cherisjied a griev-, anco in connection with a refusal by the; Scotland Yard authorities to grant linn a motor-cab license. > , • Sir' Edward was shot as he was entering his house'in'Kensington. Three bullets wero fired.. The first struck Sir Edward near the left hip and passed out at the baso of tho abdomen on the right hand sido of the body. The second pierced his clothing but inflicted no injury. Thothird'went wide.. The assailant was captured and disarmed. •• • ".• , , ' It was 1 announced on the folwwingday that Sir Edward was in no immediate danger. ' j , . A statement issued at Scotland Yard is to the following effect *. — : ■ Sir Edward Henry left Scotland Yard shortly after, six o'clock in tho official motor-car of the chief of police, winch was driven by Albert English,. who is a polico-officer.. Sir Edward ''arrived:-.at his house, 29 G'ampden House Court, Kensington, at a quarter to.seven. On leaving the car he walked towards his hall door. :' f A, young man, whoso name was afterwards found to. be Albert George Bowes, aged twenty-five, a'Single man,' living ,at 32 Graham Road. Acton, stepped up to him and' said: "T want to see you. It is about that motor-cab license." ! ; Sir Edward:replied: "I;cannot see you now. You innst write to.ltlie office:" Sir Iklward then passed him, walked up the steps, inserted his- latchkey, and : opened the door. • ' j. The man, who'was still on the steps leading to tho house, at/this noin-' i drew a five-chambfred revolver of the Webloy pattern, and fired three shots'at _ Sir liaward. One of these struck the Chief Commissioner on tho left l«g,'and..it "was.subsequently found that tho'bullet had passed round the abdominal wall to the right leg.: Another \ bullet was found in Sir Edward's underclothing, while tho- third missed. The chauffeur, English, on hearing the sliots, jumped from his seat, seized tho mart, and held him until the arrival of two police constables who were on duty in'the neighbourhood. .The three,polico officers , secured the assailant. On tho way to the police station the assailant said: • • .: "I wrote three or four times to , the Commissioner at his office about a motordriver's liceiicc, and once to his private address. In each case lie refused, mo,a licence because I . had b:i3n convicted oi drunkenness. I w'ent to see lityn to-night, :and he. refused to see me." ■ • .. Howes.was brought uj> at West London Police Court 'charged with attempting tc jmirder "the Commissioner, and remanded. ' Sir Edward Henry received messages oi sympathy from the King and Queen, Queen Alexandra, Princess louim, Prin-ce®-Christian, Mr. Asquith, and ' othei members of the Cabinet, and tho chiefs oi the Berlin'and Paris polics forces. . .Tho -'superintendents of : yery .'-.lletro: politan police division, in' their own names and iii' .tlie''hames of theiv< offioers. .and men,.'have sent telegrams to Sir Edwawl Henryexpressing their • sympathy ; an< hops'for his speedy recovery, ; Sir Henry's, chauffeur, Alberl English,'who is a member oft he" Metro palitan Police Force, told in an interview the story of his capture of the assailant. "I was driving Sir Edward," 'ho .said "from Scotland Yard to his house.'- i Oi drawing up tho car outside.-the house';, got down, from -my seat- in the' usual iva; and opened the door for Sir,; Edward. H< walked slowly up tho steps, and I turne< again ,to tho motor-car. . Hearing a. voici > and catching- thewords, 'What about tli licence ?■■l turned round, and then for th' first time saw a'nran'stondir.g a. yard be hind- Sir. Edward.. The Commissioner hal „ turned when the j mail' spoke. ■ »Thcn th maii pulled a revolver from his breas pocket and. fired . three sliots point-blank •Sir Edward fell forwai'd into tho'doorwaj and 'the' dooi- ot-that'ihomont was opened and hurriedly alamined to. I' rushed u, tho steps, seized the man by the coat; col lar,-and .attempted' to wrest the revolve 'from''htm. vHe' turned and pointed it -a "me, and for a moment I thought he woul i .fire. ;' I; gripped his right arm and pmne , it to his side. .With my. left arm I gc > him round the neck. He .slackened. hi , hold. on tho" revolver ..and' I seized,, it, an ' kept 'it in my liaud. vlfe-'.was-a. smal« ) nusa'than I am; "but, he strugglcu.fiercel; , Keeping my.iholdvof- him—ho * was sti ' struggling—l.forced him down' the stej ) to the.railings, that run outside, the houi anil pinned hinvup against them.