Attempt at murder and suicide

ATTEMPT AT MURDER AND SUICIDE - At half past ten at night, a young woman named Hannah Blythe, having gone out to make purchases in company with her acknowledged suitor, a young man named Fallows, as they went up the Minories, the young woman was accosted by a man in the street, who inquired, “Is that you, Hannah?”

On her replying in the affirmative, he immediately fired a pistol, the contents of which lodged in the legs of her companion. They ran across the street to escape, but by the time they had reached the opposite pavement another pistol was discharged, the contents of which lodged in the back part of the young woman's neck. She lay weltering in her blood on the pavement and cried, “Moseley has done it;” and on Fallows turning round, he perceived a young man of that name standing at a short distance. The persons in the street, supposing Fallows, who was in the act of raising the female from the ground, to be the assassin, conveyed him to the watch-house, and Moseley was allowed to escape.

The remnants of both pistols were found scattered in all directions such had been the strength and power of the charges, that the barrels, as well as stocks, of both pistols were blown into a dozen pieces. The police being satisfied of the innocence of Fallows, he was liberated at four o’clock the following morning, and every possible exertion made to discover the retreat of the real offender. Nothing, however, was heard of him until Monday night, when Mr. Redfern, of the Public-office, received a communication from Darlaston, stating that a young man, answering to the description of Moseley, had been found dead (evidently shot), in that neighbourhood, and then lay at the workhouse. Moseley's sister, in company with a friend, immediately proceeded to Darlaston, and identified the body as that of her brother.

It appears that, on quitting the Minories, he went into the neighbourhood of Bilston, and early the following morning entered a retail brewery, kept by a man named Lowe, at Cock Heath, near that place. There he remained during the whole of Sunday, apparently labouring under great depression of spirits. At a late hour in the evening he ordered tea, but while it was preparing, suddenly left the house, and never again returned.

The following morning, two boatmen, proceeding along the Walsall arm of the Birmingham Canal, observed a human body lying on the bank, partly immersed in the water. On taking it out, the head appeared to have been severely wounded by a shot; and on tracing footsteps in the neighbourhood, two pocket pistols, one loaded, the other discharged, were found at about 300 yards distance. The unfortunate man, after having attempted self-destruction, had apparently staggered to the bank of the canal, and then, either intentionally, or accidentally, from exhaustion, pitched himself into the water. Jealousy was supposed to be the motive.