Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-23


fred five times, and every bullet took effect,
death resulting instantly. Her friends tell
story Of cruel wrongs received at the hands
of the murdered man.
NEW YORK, November 22.-Stephen
Pettus, Secretary and Treasurer of the
Brooklyn Elevated Railroad, commission
merchant and member Of the Cotton Ex-
change, was shot down in Fulton street this
morning about 10 o'clock BY Hannah South
worth, who emptied the Eve chambers of
SS-calIber revolver into Pettus' head and
body. Fulton street was full of persons,
whose number was swelled by the crowd
just coming from the Fulton ferryboats. A
man who saw the shooting said that he had
noticed the woman acting strangely at the
boat, as though laboring under great excite
Inent.
As Pettus was walking up Fulton street
the woman suddenly sprang forward 7ntil
close behind him, so near that she might
have struck him with her hand. Then she
fred five shots from a new silver-plated re-
yolver, each shot taking effect. Pettus
staggered and tried to run into the nearest
doorway. But the selEeoeking pistol of the
infuriated woman was too quick for him.
Covered with blood be fell against the door,
which swung open with his weight, and the
dying man ran inside, rushed behind the
counter, out again and fell dead in q bloody
heap at the foot of the stairway leading to
the next floor.
NO ATTEMPT AT ESCAPE.
Officer Goodwin made a rush for the
woman who stood motionless, making no
attempt to escape. She alternated between
great excitement and periods Of utter cool
ness. The body was taken to the station
house and laid on the floor. A scrap of
coarse sacking covered the dead mans face.
On raising it, one could see a frightfnl little
hole over the left eye. The features were
distorted and clOtted with blood, Lifting
the left hand, a bullet hole appeared in the
wrist. The dead mans watch was broken
and an indentation in the case seemed to
have been made by ball which had passed
clear through the body.
Mr.. Pettus was AZ years of age. His wife
is an Invalid, and there are no children.
His business associates are shocked bevond
measure by his death.
Mrs. Hannah Southworth is a native Of
Louisville, KY. Her fathers name was
Martin, and during the war, being a mem-
ber Of family Of active Southern SYM
patnizers, he refused to take the oath Of alle-
glance to the Government; but after some
trouble with the Provost Marshal he came
North instead Of going South. During the
war he operated as gold broker in wall
street in New York City. At the time the
family left Louisville, Mrs. Southworth was
a little girl, and is now about 80 years old.
She Is descended on her mothers side from
o race of women long remarkable for ex-
treme beauty, her mother, Mrs Martin, and
her aunt, the late Mrs. s. II. ToFrey, being
ladies especially noted in this particular in
their youth. Indeed, Mrs. SouthWorth's
mother is at the present time very hand
some, middle-aged woman.
HER EARLY MARRIAGE.
Mrs. Southworth herself grew up con
spicuous likewise for her personal beauty,
and in her girlhood was so handsome in her
personal appearance as to attract universal
wherever she was seen. In 1674or
1876. when she was just emerging from her
teens, during visit to the family Of her
uncle, the late Judge Torrey, at Geneva,
N. Y, she met Mr.. Frederick SouthWorth,
3 banker Of that place, and some two years
later they were married. Mr. SouthWorth
lied within q year or 50 after the wedding,
and his widow returned to Louisville,
where her father and mother were again
living.
A few years after, her father having died
In the meantime, Mrs. Southvorth and her
mother removed to Brooklyn, where she
has two brothers living now and doing busi-
ness. It was soon after this she was intro
1uced by a mutual friend to Mr.. Pettus.
She was at this time living at the Pierre
0ont House.
The story OF her wrongs at the hands Of
Mr.. Pettus, as told BY her friends, is q
atrocious one. According to
hem she was deeoYed to q private house,
rugged and assaulted. She never re-
covered, physically or mentally, from the
b oek. A suit brought by her against
ettus for slander and defamation Of char
aeter has been pending for some time.
PREVIOUS ATTACK.
On Friday, March %, this year, the crowd
bout the Brooklyn Elevated road saw
all, Willowy blonde woman, in q green
suit attack two gentlemen with
n umbrella. The men were Stephen Pettus
nd his brother-in-law, joseph Elliott.
AfterWard Mr.. Elliott said the attack was
made upon him alone. But the woman, who
Tas Mrs. Hannah Southworth, declared she
Iad no acquaintance with Elliost.
'sMr. Pettus struck me when called on
i'm recently and intended to give him
n opportunity to repeat his assault. As
forth afterward. 'rest assured if I had had
ne, it would have been used more effect
Vely than an umbrella. The trouble is
ombination Of personal and business mat
srs. They are trying to perseeute ana de-
troy Woman's character, " she added at
be time.
Mrs. Southworth and her troubles were
gain before the public on May 16. On
bat day she was arrested on identically the
pot of the first assault Detective Kear-
ey, who made the arrest had noted for
sYeral days prepossessing blonde person
'aiting about the vicinity.
PLACED UNDER BOND.
Arraigned before Justice Walsh, she was
ound over for the sum Of S25 TO keep the
eace. "Stephen Pettus has treated me
rossly and will spend so, 900 to hound me
own" she said. Again, one Sunday the
about Mr.. Pettus' house was
artled by q Woman's cries: s1've got you
ov: I've got you now" The timely in
,ryention of the mounted police is said to
ave saved Pettus' life on this occasion.
[any times since Mrs. SouthWorth has been
ZEN in the vicinity Of Pettus' house and
flee.
When placed in prison Mrs. Southworth
as nervous and worked herself into high
ate Of excitement, She was given an anO-
yne for relief. Howe and Hummel, the
ell-kn0wn criminal lawyers, have been en-
aged to defend the prisoner.
OUR HOLIDAY DISPLAY
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