Grim Leicester Crime: Young Man Kills Himself after Attempting to Murder his Sweetheart: [Subject of Illustration.] A sensational tragedy took place in Leicester last week, as the result of which one man is lying dead, and another is in the Leicester Royal Infirmary in critical condition. It appears that about ten o’clock a young man named Horace Pinsent, aged nineteen, who lived with his parents at the King’s Head public-house, Burley’s-lane, was walking with a girl about his own age, or slightly older, on the London-road, near to Knighton Grange Road. The girl’s name is Ada White, and she lives in Bedford-street. They had quarrel about something, and it is stated that the girl expressed her Intention of not walking out with him anymore. Anyhow, the results were startling. Without any warning of his intention, Pinsent pulled a revolver out of his pocket and fired point blank at the girl from a distance of only about a yard. It is a marvelous thing that she was not killed; as it was, the bullet grazed her cheek, and passed through her hat. She screamed, and that, and the noise of the shot, attracted the attention of people in the vicinity, of whom there were quite a number. What next happened was regrettable in the extreme. Mr. Herbert Hytch, tailor, aged about twenty-two, who lives with his parents at 45, Wood-hill, who was riding a bicycle, got off but before he could do anything Pinsent shot at him, and the bullet struck him in the neck, inflicting a serious wound. Two more shots followed in rapid succession, fortunately without hitting anyone else, and then Pinsent ran off in the direction of the town. He was followed, and when near Toller-road, apparently realising the madness of his action, he turned the revolver on himself, and with the last cartridge he shot himself through the head, placing the barrel in his mouth. Death must have been instantaneous, he was found within a very few seconds of the shot, his body lying in Toller Road with the head against the kerbstone. Meanwhile, Mr. J. E. Lester, who was driving his motorcar along the road close to where the shooting began, and saw that Mr. Hytch was severely injured — for he was lying where he had fallen, in a pool blood ascertained that Dr. Gibbons, Knighton Grange-road, was the nearest doctor, and ran towards his house to summon him. Dr. Gibbons, however, had heard the shots, and met Mr. Lester on the way. Hurrying to the spot, he saw at once that Mr. Hytch’a injuries could not be dealt with in his surgery, and the wounded man was lifted into Mr. Lester’s car, and with Dr. Gibbons accompanying him, was driven to the Infirmary. Mrs. Gibbons, at Mr. Lester’s request, rang up Knighton police station, and informed the police, and Superintendent Sturgess and other officers were soon on the spot, while Mr. Lester, after leaving the patient at the infirmary, drove to the Central police-station and gave information. Mr. Herbert Allen (Chief Constable), and Superintendent Carson were both in the building, and Mr. Lester drove them up to the scene of the tragedy, passing, en route, by the way, Pinsent’s dead body, then lying in Toller-road. The girl, who was naturally in a very distressed condition, had been taken into a house nearby till she recovered, and then she was driven down to Central Police Station to give any information she had about the matter. The body of Pinsent was removed to the mortuary in the Fire Brigade body van, and there, shortly before midnight, it was identified by his father and brother. The revolver which the dead man used was of a fairly heavy pattern, and had been loaded in five chambers, all of which were discharged. The shots at the girl and Mr. Hytch would account for two of the cartridges, and probably the other shots fired numbered two, although accounts differ as to whether it was two three. This would leave the cartridge with which he committed suicide. The weapon was found lying near to the body. Mr. Lester, speaking to a “Leicester Daily Post” representative said the thing all happened in a few seconds. He was just driving by the couple on London Road when he heard the first shot. He stopped the car and turned around, and the girl came running and screaming towards him to get into the car and get away from the man. While she was screaming Mr. Hyteh came up on his bicycle and just had got off, and as he was holding it in front of him Pinsent shot at him, and he fell. Then the revolver was fired again either twice or three times, and Pinsent ran away. The next thing was to get the doctor and having got him, to take the injured man down to the Infirmary. At the inquest the coroner said Pinsent was jealous of the girl, and letters in the deceased’s writing showed that he contemplated taking his own life and that of the girl. Mr. Hytch, who was unknown to the parties, is progressing favourably. The Jury found that Pinsent killed himself, and that there was insufficient evidence to show the state of his mind.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive
Referenced
GRO0431 Tiverton: Horace Pinsent: 1893 – 1913