SHOT ON A MUSIC HALL STAGE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 317, 7 January 1909, Page 4

SHOT ON A MUSIC HALL STAGE

KILLED IN A "WILLIAM TELL" ACT. ACTRESS AURESTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER. London, iB. An extraordinary mishap, by which a man uaiiier Herbert Lee, aged 20, was shot in the course of n "William Tell" shooting act, occurred shortly before ten o'clock'on Moiuhiv night at the Middlesex Music Hall. Dairy Uanc. A woman artiste who figured as No. 12 in the programme as "Clementine, Lady Expert, Queen of Firearms," was proceeding with her performance, which consisted of a display of expert markinanship. and bad occupied the stage about seven minutes, when the •'William Tell" act was reached. Lee, who acted as assistant iu-lhe previous items of "Clementine's'' performance, stood on the stage with a glass ball raised slightlv from the top of his head. SHOT IN THE HEAD. "Clementine" took up a position in the dress circle, distant some fifty feet from Lee, who, in accordance'with the story which was being illustrated, was blindfolded. "Clementine" raised a short i-ille to her sbouler, and amid the breathless excitement of the packed audience, fired. The greatest consternation followed when Lee was seen to fall forward on to the stage, bleeding profusely from a wound in the head. The curtain was lowered, and a doctor was in immediate attendance. A cursory examination showed a wound near the left eyebrow. No trace of a bullet was apparent, and Lee was removed to King's College Hospital,where flic died next morning. As a sequel Cb'inentini Dolciui, !t:l, an Italian, describing herself as a music hall artiste, slaying at the Coronet Hotel, Soho street. Sobo square, was charged at Bow street on Tuesday with the manslaughter of the man. Herbert Lee, aged 28, of Robert street, llampstead road. Detective Inspector Stockley staled that at 11.13 that morning the defendant came to Bow strent Police Station said that she was the person whom the police were looking for. " AX ACCIDENT." The witness told her that a charge of manslaughter would be preferred against her, and she replied: "II was all an accident—it seems all a dreiim. I went away last night because T was so upset and'staved with some friends." She also said': "I have been doing this thing for eighteen years. 1 have never had an accident before." The witness showed her a Wir.chester rifle, and she said that it was the one she was using. She took from it several cartridges. The clerk: (Mr Wcslall): Arc they ball cartridges? The witness: Yes. The defendant, said the witness, was formally charged with manslaughter, and she simply repeated that it was all an accident. Mr. Lloyd Humphreys: From the cursory inquiries that you have made you do'not think there was any ill-feeling between this woman and the deceased man?

The witness: I have every reason to believe there was not.

The defendant was remanded, bail being allowed in o-.ie surety of .CIOO.