Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-30
Il MURDER At WASHINGTON.
Myra Clark Gaines Son Shot Dead In
Hotel by Her SON In Law.

WASHINGTON, June 25.-William Il.
Whitney the son of Myra Clark Gaines by
her first husband, was shot and killed at
O'Clock this afternoon by John Y.Christ-
mas, Mrs. Gaines son-in-law.
The murder occurred in the Catacazy
House on street. near Fourteenth, where
Mrs. Gaines is now living, as were also
the two men. Whitney and Christmas
were partners in business some years ago,
the partnership being dissolved when
Christmas went to North Carolina to live.
Subsequently, at the solicitation of Mrs.
Gaines, Christmas returned, his house
hold having been broken up by the death
of his wife. 1t seems that from the time
of his return the two men had not been
OH good terms, although Mrs. Gaines
again persuaded them to become partners
in business. The real cause of the
trouble is said to have been mutual jeal-
ousy touching their prospective interests
in Mrs. Gaines property. Recently there
was dissolution of partnership, and
since then, with nothing to hold them
together, they are said to have been
exceedingly bitter against each other.
Whitney was naturally of a hot temper,
but Christmas was said to
be mild except when with
Whitney or when talking of him, when
he was frequently known to lose control
of himself. There had evidently been an
open difficulty lately, for this morning in
local paper Whitney published card
informing the public that Christmas had
no right under any circumstances to col
lect bills for the old firm.
Christmas room at the Catacazy
House was ON the floor above Whitney's.
On going down to dinner tonight he met
Whitney in the second hallway. There
was no one around at the time, but from
the basement in which dinner was set
they could be heard in angry dispute.
This mornings card was doubtless the
subject of it. After long alteration
they started down stairs, Christmas
ahead. He stopped upon reaching the base
ment and turning fired at Whitney, who
| was then half way down the lower flight.
Whitney reeled and fell dead. The ball
had severed the main artery of the heart.
When Christmas saw that his pistol
| had done its work, he called servant
| sent for an officer and delivered himself
up, saying that he had shot Whitney in
| self-defense. Mrs. Gaines, who had
heard the shooting, was one OF the first
on the spot and directed the disposition OF
her sons body pending the arrival of the
coroner. She was remarkably cool dur
ing the ordeal, and at no time later in
the evening, although the shock had evi i
IDENTIFY been severe upon her, did she be-
come unnerved or lose her outward calm
ness. No weapons were found upon
Whitney or Christmas. The plea of self
defense impressed the inmates of the
house as an extraordinary one considering
that when Christmas shot he was in Il
position to escape from Whitney, had the
latter been about to attack him, into the
dining room or the kitchen or through II
back door into the yard.
| Upon reaching the stativn house Christ
mas immediately sent for Colonel William
Cook, who has lately come into promi-
hence by reason OF his connection with
the prosecution of the Star route cases.
Silence was at once enjoined upon him and
nothing gan be learned from him tonight.
The affair is making Il decided sensation
here and many stories are ailoat touching
the favoritism shown Christmas by Mrs.
Gaines because Whitney's terrible tenn
per and dissipated habits. The business
i'll which the men We're engaged was curl
ing hair for mattresses and upholstery.
Another account says that Whitney
had announced to his mother an inteil-
tion to shoot Christmas, and that Mrs.
Gaines had put the latter on his guard.
According to this account Whitney fol
lowed Christmas down stairs as the latter
was escorting an aged lady to dinner, and
struck him with his fist in the back, upon
which the shooting Immediately followed.
Whitney is said to have been OF
unsound mind, his trouble being the
result of epilepsy. Mrs. Gaines las
borne his peculiarities and jeal-
ousies very patiently, though his
iniirmities OF temper seem somewhat to
have alienated her affections. She told
Christmas that though he had killed her
son, she would see justice done him. Il
is feared that the tragedy, with its ut
tendant excitement, may endanger hcl
life.