The Red Cloud chief., 1889-11-29
A DESPERATE WOMAN.

She Wreak> Terrible Vengeance On Her
Brutal B-esrSyeP-Shot Down In the
Streets Of New YOrk-St0ry OF
Her Wrongs
New YORK, Nov. S3.-Stephen Pet
tus, secretary and treasurer of tho
Brooklyn elevated railroad, commits
sion merchant and member of the Cot
ton Exchange, was shot down in Full
ton street yesterday morning about
ten o'clock by Hannah SouthwOrth.
who emptied five chambers of Il Seal
iber Smith Il WeSson revolver into
Pettus' head and body.
Fulton street was full Of persons
whose number was Swelled by the
crowd just coming in from the Fulton
ferrybOatS. a man who saw the shoot
ing said that he had noticed the woman
acting strangely on the boat us though
labOring under great excitement. AZ
Pettus was walking up Fulton street
the woman suddenly sprang forward
until close behind him, SD near that
she might have struck him with her
hand. Then she fired five shots from
a new silver-plated revolver, each shot
taking effect.
Pettus staggered and tried To run in
the nearest doorway. But the self
cooking pistol of the Infatuated woman
was too quick for him. Covered with
blood he fell against the door, which
swung open with his weight, and tho
dying man raj inside, rushed behind
the counter, out again, and fell dead in
a bloody heap ut the foot of the stair
way leading to the next floor.
Mr.. PettuS was forty-two years of
age and lived ut ~ Eighth avenue, cor-
ner Of Union street, Brooklyn. His
wife is an invalid and there are no
children. His business associates are
shocked beyond measure by his death.
The cause of the tragedy rs stated by
an acquaintance of Mrs. Southworth,
who has known the particulars of the
troubles between them for some years,
dates back to an outrage committed by
Pettus upon the lady, and which had
been concealed from any one except a
very few Of her most intimate friends
for a long time. 1t appears. Us il
alleged, that the acquaintance with
Pettus was developed into friend
ship Oh account of the intimacy of Mrs.
woman friend with him
The story goes that this lady was in
the habit Of attending theaters and
taking lunches with MIR. Pettus and
upon these expeditions WAS i'll the habit
Of taking Mrs. SOuthworth with her
from time to time.
The natural result of this kind of as
ISOLATION led to an invitation ut the
close of Il matinee n afternoon in New
York CITY, on the part of Mr.. Pettus
To- Mrs. S~OuthwOrth to call at Il certain
residence G by. upon the pretext Of
Il friend of his. AS the house
va in the neighbOrhood ard in a re-
spectacle part of the city, after some
on the part Of Mr.. Pettus.
to quiet the lady's appre-
tensions as to the strict %propriety of
he proceedings, Mrs. S%outhworth con-
They were ushered into u parlOr,
where, to Mrs. SOuthworth's consterna-
ion, they were met by Il eO.ored man,
titI ILIC tl vi d Ndlttl. IIOll NiIOuI
ir. Pettus ordered a bottle of wine.
Mrs. SOuthwOrth, being frightened at
ler surroundings, demanded an ex-
'lanatiOn, and was re;iSsured by Mr..
'ettus that every thing was all right.
II the meantime she was urged to take
glass OF champagne, which she did.
laving been accustomed from child
God to the Use of wine upon proper
ccaSiOnS. In Il few moments she lost
Consciousness and knew nothing more
f her surroundings until the follow
~ morning, when she walked up. find
lg herself in bed in this strange house,
nth 10 n about her, with no ono
Iithin call whom she had ever known.
he oOn discovered that she had
cen wrOnged while unconscious, and
he had been abandoned to make her
upon recovering consciousness as
est she could. Overwhelmed with
name she returned home, and giving
'me excuse rs best she could to her
amily for her absence. she attempted
conceal her disgrace by keeping it q
,cret.
In the curse of n few weeks, how
yer, to her CONSERVATION, she discOv-
ed that some n must Ike taken into
er confidence and that absolute secrecy
'Ould soon become an im~possibility.
In her extremity she appealed to
ettus to assist her and still save her
nod name. In time she decided 1T the
stance of Pettus, in Or,ler to protect
name of her widOwhoOd, tn consent
malpractice. She Was sent to an in
riOr city in this State, where at a
,tel, among utter strangers, she was
tended by a physician under whose
re she lay for weeks, lowering be-
life and death. She was at length
to a shadow Of .ler former self,
vered with shame, her life wrecked
ID her physical health irretrievably
oxen. In order tn avoid exposure at
@ time Of the outrage PettuS, it is al
red, made the most profuse promises
substantial provision for her.
Upon her recovery, after about a
ar, she reminded her betrayer Of his
but was only met with de-
ion. Pettus then attempted to rid
nself of her by circulating stories
at she was his discarded mistress.