A Woman Shoots Another Woman.

Manawatu Herald, 29 October 1898, Page 3

A Woman Shoots Another Woman.

Mrs Annie McWilliam entered the tea room a £ Kirkealdie and S . a ias oa Thursday a_ie_aoon and shot Mis Dick, an attendan at the counter. HOW IT HAPPENED. The attendants were all busy amending to the customers when a woman, who turned out to be Mrs Annie McWilliam, walked up to the pay counter where Mrs Dick, who presidethere, was located, and as she did so she drew a revolver. As soon a? Mrs Dick saw her she turned to go to ihe back of the room in order io reach the door of ihe storeroom at the side, a few paces away, having an idea that some .hing was goitig to happen. And it did. Mrs McWilliam advanced io the passage between ihe counter aid the wall and fired at ihe retreating Mrs Did:, the bullet piercing the v. all and sinking ihe unforanale Mrs Dick on :he left side. The lr.iter had reached the door iv an iuslaii, g.asped and turned ihe handle, pulled ihe door to a. ier her wiih a bang, quicker than one takes to tell i ., aud got down in a sitting postr :e behiud ii. Mrs McWilliam fired two sho Is in qrick succession afier the door closed, and with tolerably good aim, too. Both went through the panel of the door, one being but an inch below ihe other. Mrs Dick retreated fivlher in ihe storeroom as she heard sounds of other shots, and Mrs McWilliam then retraced her steps but -was stopped on Jhe stairs and handed over to the charge of the police. THE WOUND. . Mrs Dick told the docior she thought she uad beeu hit i 1 lhe side, and this proved to be ihe case. The bullet had gone' though her clothes on ihe leu. side, .trade- ihe he?ri, and had made a contusion, but that was all. The bullet had not penetrated ihe skin, a Tact due. to lhe busk of ihe wojnan's corset haviug materially sloped its "career. WHAT THE INJU. ED WOMAN SAYS. The injured woman only vouchsafed a few words regarding the a Tair. She had been standing at the counter talking to two ladies when Mrs McWilliam approached. Whe". .he laitei got quite near che (Mrs Dick) d?d not take much notice, but half trrned, and received; a. shot in her left side. She then rushed for the store-room, and did so quickly enough to evade further injury. Mrs Dick was naturally suffering greatly from the shock she had received and was asked no further questions. THB CAUSE OF THE SHOOTING. It seems that Mrs McWilliam for some time had a grievance, or a fancied grievance, ag. inst Mr Dick. From what can be gathered we believe ihat it originated through a lawsuit over a hotel on the West Coast Ever since then the matter has been on the prisoner's mind, and she appears to have brooded over it, with the result that she deiermined to shoot her one-time successful adversary. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCUSED. The accused woman is slightly built, aged about 49 years, stands sft 4m, has a pale complexion and dark eyes, and is of Irish nationality. She is separated from her husband, who was at one time a coach-driver at Reefton, but was latterly engaged in the fish business at Christchurch. Mrs McWilliam has been living in Wellington for a good while, and has a family of three, a son aged 17 and two daughters, the eldest of whom was with her yesterday when she committed the rash deed.— N.£. "Times."