, 1889-11-23
SHOT IN THE STREET.
New York Startled by an
EARLY Morning Tragedy.
Mrs. Southworth Takes the
Life Of Her Betrayer.
The Injured Woman Tells Her
Story in a Police Cell.
Shot in the Street.

New YORK, Nov. 22.-Stephen l..
Pettus, secretary and treasurer of the
Brooklyn Union Elevated railroad and a
member of the firm of Pollard. Pettus
& Co., Of 81 Broad street. this city, was
shot dead this morning in Fulton street
by Mrs. Hannah Southworth who refused
to give her address to the police when ar
rested Just before l o'clock, while
Fulton street was crowded with people
who had Just landed from the ferry, a
young woman wearing a sealskin sack
trimmed with long. black fur was seen hur.
ryinR along behind o well dressed man.
When in front of No. 10, Fulton street,
she pulled a large revolver from beneath
her dress and fred five shots in quick
succession at tae man in front of her,
although he fell at the first shot. As her
victim writhed and tossed 10 agony on
the sidewalk the woman looked on calm
and self possessed and actually smiled
with apparent satisfaction. In short
time a great crowd had gathered attracted
by the repeated pistol firing.
As an officer arrested her she raised her
self to her full height and assuming a
dramatic attitude, she pointed to the life
less body on the sidewalk and Kissed
between her teeth:
That man betrayed me and l shot
himl He ruined me and my family"
The woman was taken to the police
station and locked up. She remained
calm and dignifed and gave the name of
Hannah Southworth, but refused to give
her residence. All five balls took effect
in the body of her victim. The same
unnnan affantaI paff,r1 in nnhlsa .hA,,f n
year ago.
A dispatch from Louisville. KY, says
Mrs. Southworth is the daughter of K.
j. Martin. a well known coffee broker.
She is about 80 years old and has been a
widow ten years. She charged Pettus,
who was originally from GAINESVILLE.
Tenn, with having committed an outrage
on her person for which a suit for $685.
600 was brought against him some months
ago. Several of her brothers are promi-
nent business men in New York. San
Francisco and Brooklyn and for some
time she has made her home with one in
the latter city.
Mrs Southworth appeared at the coro-
ner's Office in the afternoon. She was af-
fected to a great degree and her mind APP
parently was in no condition to compre-
bend what was going on. She could not
answer questions intelligently and her
lawyer told her to say nothing. She was
committed for hearing next Tuesday.
According to the story told by her
friends she became acquainted with Pet
tus through a mutual friend a number of
years ago and one day he succeeded in
dragging her while out together and &C.
complished her ruin. Later it was found
necessary to resort to malpractice and as
a result her health was wrecked.
In order to avoid exposure at the time
Of the wrong doing, Pettus made ~profuse
promises of substantial provision for her
to save the name of her family, which is
a highly respected one and she kept quiet.
Upon her recovery. however, he met her
reminders of his obligations with derision
and finally, it is said, circulated a report
that she was a discarded mistress who was
trying to blackmail him. This drove her
to desperation and last March she at
tackled Pettus on the street as mentioned
above.
She then applied to lawyers, not to OBJ
tain money damages, but that the truth
of the case might be known. The statute
of limitation protected Pettus from prose-
cution for the original outrage and she be-
gan suit for SANDER and defamation of
character with this object in view. This
was the legal status of the matter up 20
to days shooting. In prison this after
noon Mrs. Southworth said that the lady
through whom she became acquainted
with Pettus had also been ruined by him
and under a threat of exposing her he OBJ
tanned her aid in accomplishing the ruin
Of Mrs. Southworth.