Helena weekly herald., 1889-11-28
THE NEW YORK TRAGEDY.
Cause of the Shooting Explained.


NEW YORK, November 22.-This morn
ing Stephen Peters, one of the Brooklyn
bridge trustees, was shot and killed by
Hannah Southworth, aged 90 years. She
refused to give her reason.
New YORK, November 22-Stephen
T.. Peters. Secretary and Treasurer of the
BROOKLYN Union Elevated railroad and 8
member of the firm Of Pollard. Pettus &
Co. 81 Broad street, this city, was shot
dead here this morning in Fulton street by
Miss Hannah Southwortb, who refused TO
give her address to the police when ar
rested. Just before ten o'clock, when Ful-
ton street was crowded with people, who
had last landed from the Ferry, young
woman wearing sealskin sack trimmed
with long black fur was seen hurryipg
along behind a well dressed man. When In
front of No. 10 Fulton street she pulled q
large revolver from beneath her dress and
fred five shots in quick succession at the
man in front of her, although he fell at the
first shot. As the victim writhed and tossed
in agony on the sidewalk the woman, look
ing calm and possessed, actually smiled
with apparent satisfaction. In short time
a great crowd had gathered, attracted TO
the spot by the repeated pistol firing.
NEW YORK, November pa dispatch
from Louisville, KY, says: Mrs. South
worth is the daughter of the late E. j.
Martin, a we'll known coffee broker. She
is about 80 years of age and has been
widow ten years. She charged Pettus, who
was originally from Clarksville, Tenn,
with having committed an outrage on her
T erson fours ago, for which a suit for $25,-
600 was brought against him several
month. ago. Several of her brothers are
prominent business men in New York, San
Francisco and Brooklyn. For some tlme
she has made her home with one IN the
latter city.
Mrs. SouthwOrth appeared at the coroners
office in the afternoon. She was affected
to a great degree, and her mind was ap-
uarentIy in no condition to comprehend
what was going on. She could not answer
questions intelligently, and her lawyer tod
| her to sag nothing. She was committed
! for hearing next Tuesday.
According 10 the story told by her
friends. che became acquainted with Pettus
through a mutual fnend number oi
wears ago, and one day he succeeded IL
drugging her while they We out together
/
found necessary TO resort 10 ma practice' as
q result OF which her health Is wreck.
In order to AVOID exposure at the time o
the wrong Pettus maize protuse oilers o
substantial provision for her, and 10 save
the name OF her family, which was hlgnly
respected, she kept quiet Upon her re
coyery, however, he met her reminders o
his obligation with derision, and finally, Il
is SAID, circulated report that Mrs South
worth was his discarded mistress who wa
irving to blackmail him. This drove hel
to desperation, and last March she attacked
Pettus on the street. as mentioned above
She then applied to lawyers, not to ootali
money damages, but that the truth Nigh
be explained. The statute OF limitation pro
tected Pettus from prosecution for IN
original outrage, and she began suit 10
slander ard defamation of character witt
the same object in view. This was tn
legal status of the matter up to to-day
interview. In prison this afternoon MIS-
Southworth said the lady through WHOM
she became acquainted with Pettus ha'
also been ruined by him and was KEEP
silent under threats of exposing her as al
accomplce in the ruin OF Mrs Southwor b
New YORK, November 23.-MIs. South
worth, who murdered Pettus yesterday
spent a restless night In her cell. I'M
morning there is a slight improvement Il
her condition.
Her lawyer says the defense will be in
sanity.