Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-17
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
DRIVEN TO DESPERATION.
A Woman Attempts TO Right Her Wrongs
With a Pistol.

- %AhlEInpt6 10 tIRnI deT w rOnRe
With a Pistol.
Mrs. Peter Stortz was arrested by officers
Campbell and Eldred yesterday afternoon
IN the De Witt House, corner of Third and
) streets, while in the act of attempting to
shoot young woman who gave the name
OF Nellie Clifton. They were both taken
10 the station house and locked up, the
latter as witness. Officer Campbell saws
that he YRS told Mrs Storrz had gone into
the building to attack the other woman.
and he followed. When he arrived Miss
Clifton said, Here is lady who saws she
Il going 10 shoot me- Mrs. Stoliz said
Yes, will, and at once raised a pistol,
!eyeled II at TIE other and pulled the
trigger. TAe officer caught the weapon
just IN time to receive the hammer on his
thumb, thus preventing it from going off.
Ii was close call for Nellie Clifton.
At the station house Mrs. Stortz made a
statement 30 q REooRD-U UNION reporter.
which was afterwards substantiated BY
others, and which shows that she was
deeply wronged, though her method of
nghuDg her wrongs cannot be approved.
She said that sLe was married to Peter
Storiz on the 18th Of December last, since
which time and for the last year and a half
ohE Ice W U. s4CN ~ Tue lily 1OLGI. HOr q
while her husband worked at the same
place, but OF late he has done nothing, and
has continually Kept the company of the
Clifton woman.
He first tO!d me she was his cousin, +"
said Mrs. StOrtz. land he used to 90 and see
ner, and say she was sick. At one time he
wanted me to take her to my room end
take care Of her, and / would not do it,
found out she was common woman, and
l tried to get him to stay away from her,
but he would not do it. He has been stay
ing with her, snd would come over and see
me occasionally, Just for the looks of the
thing. Yesterday Mr.. Holden, the propri.
etor, forbid him 20 come to the house any
more. Since she got hold of him | can do
nothing with him. He has treated me
shamefully.
"a week ago Saturday Mrs. Holden and
| went to her, and told her the condition I
was in, SIS / expected to be a mother in a
couple Of months, and l begged her to let
my husband alone. 1t did not do any
good. She told him about it, for he said
afterwards thai she told him that if it had
not been for my condition she would have
Drained me with a chair.
When | went there this afternoon nv
mother was with me. She did not know
had 8 pistol and did not intend to use it.
1 wanted to scare her. | thought if she
would go away and leave town he would
be better and we would get along together
some way. but when l saw her brszen face
and the way she talked to me l could not
control myself. l expect my brother here
from the East in day or two and ought
10 have wai.ec until he came, but l could
not. If he had been here NV husband
would not have dared to act as be has.
had plenty of time to shoot her before
the Cfticers came if had wanted to, but
bed no such intention. ! was there for
haif an hour. thought he was there and
l went after him. She said he was not
there and that she did not know ANYTHING
about him. but l saw his coat there, and |
knew he was there or had been there to-
day. l have been working at the City
Hotel steadily for the past year and half,
and have never been idle except for the
past two days. when | have been sick. My
husband says be don't like 10 work, and
won't do it"
Miss Clifton also made statement to the
reporter. She denied that Stortz has been
living with her, and said that when Mrs
Stortz came there she told her she did not
know anything about her husband and
ordered her out of her room. Mrs Stortz
then drew q pistol and said she would
shoot her. She got out of the room and
finally into the landlady's room, when the
AAltSI 1UCEGO us mis-. DlOTZ IOl-
lowed her. and gained entrance to the
room through another opening, when the
scene took place as detailed by officer
Campbell. When asked how Stortz's coat
came to be in her room, she replied that he
was there in the morning and left it. She
said she did not see why Mrs. Stortz wanted
TO make such a fuss about man who did
not want to live with her, and continued ::
- saw my husband walk off with another
woman and leave me with little child,
and have supported my child and myself,
ard never made any fuss about it."
During the evening Mr.. Holden put up
deposit Of Sl00 for Mrs. Stortz' appearance
at Court this morning, and she was released
and went TO her mother. The other woman
also put up 6 deposit, and she was allowed
TO go.
Mrs. Holden and others at the City Hotel
speak of Mrs. Stortz in the highest terms
as an honest, Woodworking and faithful
woman. They are all equally open in their
denunciation OF Stortz and the manner in
which be has treated his wife. From all
accounts he is entirely worthless and has
abused his wife shamefully.