A sensational affair occurred at Rushden on Monday evening. A young man named George Baker, a butcher in the employ of the River Plate Meat Co., Rushden, and formerly employed by Mr. Edward Warren, is alleged to have shot himself with a revolver.
Baker, who lodges with Mr. A. Tullett, at the top of Victoria-road, Rushden, had so it is stated, been out on Monday afternoon and evening, returning home, after 10 o’clock, in an excited condition. He created a disturbance in the back garden, and was seen to be waving a pistol in his hand.
Fearing that some damage might be done information was at once given to the police. P.C. Packer happened to be near at the time and P.S. Ellingham was not far away, and both immediately ran into the yard, but just at the moment of their arrival, Baker is stated to have shot himself with a revolver. The cartridges contained shot, and somewhat
were inflicted in the face of the unfortunate young man, the wounds bleeding profusely. Baker was in a very excited condition at the time, and it took the police officers named and two or three other people all their time to hold him. Dr. Greenfield was called in, and he attended to the wounds.
There seems every reason to believe that Baker, who was suffering from a love trouble, was heavily under the influence of drink at the time of the unhappy occurrence.
The pistol used was a long, old-fashioned weapon. The shot entered the right side of the face. Reaching the yard just as Baker had shot himself, P.S. Ellingham and P.C. Packer rushed up and prevented the unfortunate young man from inflicting further injury upon himself.
Baker became
after firing the shot, but he partly recovered consciousness, and was very violent in his manner for some time. Afterwards he became quieter, and was taken indoors.
By Tuesday morning, he had recovered to a large extent, and he then stated that he did not remember the occurrence at all – in fact, that he did not remember anything at all after leaving the Unicorn Inn.
The injuries are of a somewhat serious character.
Last week Baker was riding a young horse, which, when near Higham Ferrers L. and N.W. station, became startled. Baker was thrown from the horse and was hurt for a time, though afterwards he was able to ride home and see a doctor.
This (Friday) afternoon Baker was going on as nicely as could be expected.
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