The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-11-23
RIGHTING HER WRONGS
A Prominent New Yorker Shot by q
Widow Whom He Had Ruined.
Mrs. sUuthwsrth or Kentucky Takes the
Law Ia Her Own Hands and Drops
Her victim u the Ftr~t shot

NEW YORK, Nov. 22.-Stephcn l. Pctt,is.
secretary and treasurer of tlie brooklyn
elevated railroad. and n member of the
firm OF Hattarrl. Pcttus Il Co.. ~ Broad
street. ,his city, was shot dead here this
norning i'm Fulton street by Mrs. Hannah
II. So,iti,wortii. who refused "a give her
Address to the police when arrested. just
before lO o'clock, while Fulton street was
crowded with people who had last landed
from the ferry. a woman wearing u seal
skin sacsl,ie, trimmed with long black fur
was seen hurrying along behind we'll
dressed man. When i'm front of No. 10
Fulton street she pulled "a large revolver
from beneath her dress antfs fired five
shots i'm quick successis,n at the man in
front of her although he fell AT the first
shot. A. the victim writhed and tossed
in agony ON the sidewalks. the woman
looking, calm and self-possessed. actually
smiled with apparent satisfaction. In IA
short time IL great crowd had gathered,
attracted I" the spot by the repeated piss
tol firing.
A dispatch from Louisville, KY, says:
Mrs. s,outhworth is the slaig ht"r of the
late T.. j. Martin. wcli-known coffee
broker. She is about ID years of age and
! has been "a widow 10 years. She charged
Pcttns. who WAS originally from tlarks-
vile, Teni:. with having committed an
outrage On her person four years ago, for
which "a suit for S25.tsD was brought
against him several months ago. Several
| men in New York, san Francisco and
| Brooklyn. For some time she has m idc
! ntr with one III ttlc Elttr CITY.
| Mrs. Southworth appeared at the COR
| oner's, Office iu the afternoon. She was
| affected to great degree and her mind
| was apparently in no condition fo com.
| prchcnd what was going on. She could
not answer questions intclligcntly and her
lawyer told her to say nothing. She was
committed for hearing next Tuesday.
| According to a story told by her friends.
| she became acquainted with Pettus
| through mutual friend number OF
| years ago and day he succeeded in
! drugi,ing her while they were out together
| and accomplished her ruin. Later IL was
| foiInd necessary tn resort to NAL alpractict.
| IA Il result Of which her healtliwas wrecked.
| In order To avoid exposure mt the time of
| the wrong. Pcttus made promises of sub
| name Of her family, which il IA highly
! si,cct..d one, she kept quiet. Upon her
| recovery, however. iic met her reminder
| OF his obligation with derision and finally,
| il is said. circulated IA report thai Mrs.
Soutitwot Ia was discarded mis-
| tr.s> who was trying To blacknIail
! HIM This drove her to dcspcrtt .on.
| She applied To her lawyers not to obtain
| money damage, Int that the truth might
| bc explained. The statute of limitation
| protected Pctius from prosecution for lic
| original outrage and she began Al suit for
| Islander and defamation of character with
| the object in view. This was the
| legal status of the matter to-day. In AN
interview in the prison thus afternoon
| Mrs. sSoutliworth said the lady through
! whom she become acquainted with Icttus
| had also been ruined by him and kept
| silent under threat Of exposing her an
| accomplicc in the ruin of Mrs. South
worth.