Tragic Accident at Music Hall

BULLET IN THE HEAD.
TRAGIC ACCIDENT AT A MUSIC-HALL.

An alarming shooting accident, resulting in the death of a stage performer, occurred on Monday night at the Middlesex Music-hall, Drury-lane, in the presence of a crowded house. Just before ten o'clock Madame Clementine, described as "the Queen of Firearms," was nearing the close of her rifle-shooting act, and went into the circle, while her assistant, a young man named Lee, stood on the stage, 50ft. away, with a glass ball balanced on his head. It was a feat called "The William Tell Act." Aiming at the glass ball, Madame Clementine fired a bullet from a saloon rifle. For some reason the

BULLET MISSED ITS MARK.

Instead of seeing the ball shivered as usual, the audience were horrified to see Lee suddenly throw up his arms, and with a cry of pain fall on the stage. The bullet had entered the unfortunate man's forehead just over the left eye.
Stage attendants rushed to his assistance, and the curtain was hurriedly rung down. Mr. J.L. Graydon, the manager, came before the footlights and announced that everything possible was being done for him.
Dr. Bremner was called to Lee's aid at once, and he was then taken with the utmost expedition to King's College Hospital, where he died at five o'clock on Tuesday morning.

SEQUEL AT POLICE-COURT.

Clementine Dolcini (33), an Italian subject, describing herself as a music-hall artiste, was subsequently charged at Bow-street with the manslaughter of Herbert Lee (28).
Detective-inspector Stockley stated that the defendant voluntarily attended at the police-station that morning, when he told her a charge of manslaughter would be preferred against her. She replied: -
It was all an accident. It seems all a dream. I went away last night because I was so upset, and stayed with some friends.
She added that she had been doing this for eighteen years, and had never had an accident before.
Defendant was remanded on bail.

Source: Weekly Mail, 28 November 1908, Page 8