The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-11-23
SHOT HER BETRAYER
A Woman Puts Five Bullets Into
The Man who Ruined Her.
A PROSPECTIVE ROW IN MONTANA
Over the Legislature Alaskan Republican
Conventional Touching Scene in a Prison
Detroit City Councilmen Indicted.

New YORK, Nov. 22.-Stephen L. Pettus,
secretary and treasurer of the Brooklyn
Union Elevated railroad and member of
the firm of Pollard, Pettus s. Company, 81
Broad street, in this city, was shot dead
here this morning in Fulton street by Mrs.
| Hannah Southworth, who refused to give
her address to the police when arrested.
Just before 10 o'clock, while Fulton
street was crowded with people who had
just landed from the ferry, young woman
wearing a sealskin trimmed with long
blackfur was seen hurrying along behind a
well dressed man. When in front of No.
| 10 Fulton street, she pulled large revolver
from beneath her dress and fired five shots
in quick succession at the man in front of
her, although he fell at the first shot. As
her victim writhed and tossed in agony on
| the sidewalk, the woman was looking calm
and self possessed and actually smiled with
| apparent satisfaction. In short time
great crowd had gathered, attracted to the
spot by the repeated pistol firing. AS the
officer arrested her, raising herself to her
full height and assuming dramatic posi-
ton, she Missed between her teeth, point
ing to the lifeless body ON the sidewalk:
THAT man betrayed me and ] have shot
him. He ruined me and my family.n The
woman was taken to the police station and
locked up She remained calm and digni-
fed and gave the name of Hannah South
worth, but refused to give her residence
All five balls TOOK effect in the body of her
victim. The same woman attacked Pettus
in public year ago.
A dispatch from Louisville, KY, SAYS
Mrs. SOuthworth is daughter of the late
E. J. Martin, the well known cotton broker.
She is about thirty years of age and has
been widow about ten years. She
charged Pct US, who was originally from
GAINESVILLE, Tenn, with having committed
an outrage on her person four years ago,
for which a s. I for S25, 200 was brought
against him fl months ago. Several of
her brothers a.o prominent business men
in New York and San Francisco. For some
time she has made her home in the latter
city.
Mrs. Southworth appeared at the coro-
ners Office in the afternoon. She was af-
fected to great degree and her mind was
apparently in no condition to comprehend
what was going on. She could not answer
questions intelligently and her lawyer told
her to say nothing. She was committed
for hearing until next Tuesday. According
to the story told her by her friends she
became acquainted with Pettus through
a mutual friend number of
years ago and one day he succeeded
in drugging her when they were out to-
gether and accomplished her ruin Later
IL was IOuuu HtCcSSdty u TSSOfG 10 UldI-
practice as the result of which her health
was wrecked. In order to avoid exposure
at the time of the wrong, Pettus made
profuse promises Of substantial provision
for her and to save the name of her family,
which is a highly respected one, she kept
quiet. Upon her recovery, however he
met her reminders of his obligation with
derision and finally. tits said, circulated the
report thatMrs. SOuthwol was a discarded
m stress who was trying 70 blackmail him.
This drove her to desperation, and last
March she alta led Pettu5 on the street,
as mentioned above. She then applied to
lawyers, not to obtain money damage, but
that the truth might be exploited. The
statute of limitations protected Petms
from prosecution for his original outrage
and she began suit for SANDER aud defana-
ton of character, with the same object in
view. This was the legal status of the
matter up to tO-day's shooting.
In prison this afternoon Mrs. Southworth
SAID the lady through whom she became ac-
quainted with Pettus had also been ruined
by him, and under threat Of exposing her
he obtained her aid in accomplishing the
ruin of Mrs. Southworth.