"THIS WILL END IT!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 199, 11 January 1913, Page 8

"THIS WILL END IT!"

A' GIRL'S :i'X.FATi;.ATi'OX. ' " LEADS HER INTO USING .A REVOLVER. UNREQUITED LOVE. By Telegraph—Press Associati on. Auckland, January. I). A sensational ■ incident' occurred in Smeeton's buildings this morning, wlura a young woman named Kathleen .Sonimerville discharged a revolver at .Mr. W. J. Co'.well, a well-known Auckland dentist, and just missed by tho.nan-ow-es tof margins. The incident occurred in Colwell's rooms, and a statement of the circumstances which led up to the shooting lias been made by Colwell. It appears that some time ago Colwell and the'young women were on friendly terms. It is stated that she -became madly infatuated with him, and that for seme considerable time past she had been making overtures to him which he had rejected. She was continually ringing up" at his rooms, and asking him to make an appointment with her. This morning the climax was reached. Colwell occupies a suite of rooms in Smeej ton's bui.dings in Queen street, where be carries on his business as dentist. 'About 10 a.m. Miss Sommerville appear I ,' ,0k the premises, and then went away again. She returned about an hour later, and wished to make an appointment with Colwell. The bitter's nurse met her on the landing, and noticed that she was carrying a small brown paper parcel under her arm. However, little notice was taken of the visitor, who went into Co)well's office, where be was seated. Colwel'. states that she locked the door, and then made a proposal to him, which he declined to listen to. She then became very angry, and threatened to kill him if be did not accede to her requests. Colwell at first told her not ;to be foolish, but to go away quietly; or else he would be compelled to cal'i the police and have her removed. A LETHAL "PARCEL." Then the visitor did a most sensational action. She produced the parcel, unwrapped it, and took out a revolver and some cartridges. "You still say no, then this will end it!" she said, and presented the revolver at Colwell, who was sitting only some two or three feet from her. She threatened to shoot 'him and then herse'if if he did not agree to her proposals.

Col well afterwards stated to a Herald representative that he Mad not the slightest idea then that the weapon was loaded. As she still threatened him, Colwell decided to end the matter once and for all "by calling in the police, and got up from his chair to go to the next room and telephone for a detective. The room is not a very large one, and the woman stood in the middle of the floor a few feet from the door. When Colwell reached the door he found it was locked, and as he was unlocking it she fired. The bullet missed him, Colwell states, by about a sixteenth of an inch, just grazing his right temple and passing clean t through the next door, where it dropped on a lounge and then rolled on to the floor. Fortunately, no one was in the dressing-room at the time, though Colwell's nurse is in the habit of lying on the lounge for a little time about that hour each day. On hearing the shot the nurse and Mr. Tucker, 'Mr. Colwell's assistant, rushed to the door, which was still locked, and attempted to enter. Mr. Tucker Secured an axe, and tried to break in the door.' "I'LL KILL YOU, TOO." [ Miss Sommerville is alleged to have shouted, "Come on Tucker, and I'li kill iyou; too!" j By the time the iloor was opened the I woman had escaped by another door leading to the main passage, and she ran upstairs -with the smoking weapon in h'er hand. The police "were immediately notified, and Detective llollis and Constable Smith were quickly on the scene. They found the young woman on the top landing in an excited state. .She asked, "Is it me you're looking for?" but didn't want to go with them. Search was made, and the revolver was found wrapped in brown paper in a box on the top of a cistern at the back of the landing. Miss Sommerville was taken to the police station and charged with attempted murder. ) Miss Sommerville is a rather goodlooking woman about twenty-eight years of age. She is a mechanical dentist by profession, and it is understood was thinking of going into Business for herself. She was about four years ago cmployed by Mr. Colwell, and subsequently served an apprenticeship of about three years with Mr. Taylor, of Newton. She resided with her mother in the Great North road. Mr. Colwell is a young man, single, and resides with his parents in Ponsonby. AT THE POLICE COURT. GIRL .'CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER. Auckland, '.January 9. During the afternoon, Kathleen Sommerville appeared before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., charged with 'having attempted to murder W. J. Colwell. Chief Detective MeMalion applied for a remand, and asked that the baiV should be substantial, as the question was whether she would repeat the act. Mr. HaekcttJ'solicitor; said that on behalf of Mr. Colwell he had had occasion to write Miss Sommerville warning her that she would have to be bound over to keep the peace if she did not desist in her conduct towards Mr. Colwell.

The Magistrate remanded- the accused till next morning, and suggested that she should be detained for the. night in the Salvation Army or some other home. It was ultimately agreed on the suggestion of Chief Detective McMahon that she shou'id not be removed to the gaol, but should spend the night at the police station.