Documents relating to Herbert Reginald Sharp

Halifax Man Accused of Attempted Murder
Police Court Story of Chloroform.

Herbert Reginald Sharp (31), unemployed of Church Street, Halifax, was yesterday accused of attempted murder, robbery with violence and burglary at Royal Halifax Infirmary on Aug 6th.

Sharp entered the Infirmary where he was formerly employed until about two years ago. He proceeded to the Matron's bedroom, which he found empty. He then went to the bedroom of Miss Emily Kinch, the assistant matron, took articles and a purse containing 1/2d, and then threw chloroform at Miss Kinch and made his escape.

Sharp told the police

I have not slept for over a week. The matron is the cause of all this, it was her. I wanted to make her suffer. I must have been mad. I did it

Sharp's alleged statement said

I went across to the assistant matron's bedroom and thought it was the matron in bed. I took a pocket handkerchief from my pocket, sprinkled chloroform on it, and then put it to her nose and let her breathe it in She was sleeping. It was my intention to murder her. After about a minute she woke up and said 'get away' I then pressed the handkerchief tighter to her nose and put some more chloroform on it. She then bit my finger and I poured the remaining chloroform on the handkerchief. She commenced to scream and shout, and I put a pillow over her face and when someone came to the door I switched off the light and dashed past her.

The statement added

I got up and decided to hang myself but changed my mind and came home to see how things were

Mr W. W. Curtis for the Director of Public Prosecutions said Miss Kinch had made a rapid recovery although some of her teeth had been loosened. The magistrates granted an application for legal aid and two counsel to be engaged

the person who came to Miss Kinch's assistance was Miss Edith Ann Simmonette an X-ray sister at the infirmary. It also said that when Sharp left the Infirmary he went across the moor, through Copley then up to Norland, then to Greetland and West Vale and then caught a train to Huddersfield. He stayed in Huddersfield for a few hours then went by bus to Dewsbury and returned to Brighouse via Mirfield. He then stayed the night at the Grove Inn on Saturday.

On Sunday, he sat in Park Wood until dusk and then walked to his parents house and then to his own home.

On Monday, he went to the reading room and there read an account of the robbery and attack on Miss Kinch.

Later, he went to Soyland where he slept the night in a haystack