St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-25
A BULLET IN BILLY.
Rather Mysterious Shooting
Affair in a St. Peter
Street House,
Which Will Probably Result
in the Death Of Billy
Bell.
He Cannot Tell How 1t Oe-
Cured, and His Wife Will
Not Say.
Suicidal Threats and Bad
Whisky Considerably
Mixed in the Case.

"Billy" Bell, an ex-poHceman, and
later the proprietor of saloon on
Broadway between Seventh and Eighth
streets, went home drunk last night
and amused himself during the early
part of the evening by abusing his
wife. For the past four months they
have lived in apartments over the bar
Der shop at 1S3 st. Peter street, and,
according to their neighbors' reports,
have put in most of their time quarrel
ing. Last night was but repetition of
the old story, the wrathful Will
lam even enforcing his arguments
by knocking his wife down.
She had been heard to threaten suicide,
and there was no little excitement in
the neighborhOOd when pistol shot
was heard from the apartments shortly
after 10 o'clock. Patrolman Leyde was
the first to rush up stairs and into their
room. He found Bell standing before
dressing case, supported by his wife,
who had thrown her arms around his
waist and was holding him up from be-
hind. A smoking revolver held in his
right hand, above his head, gave suffi-
cient explanation. of the stream of
blood pouring down his breast.
They placed him upon a
bed and telephoned at once
for City Physician Ancker. The sur
geon found the victim in semi-uncOn-
sciOuS condition, and on examining the
wound it was found that the ball,
thirty -eight-caliber, had penetrated the
left breast, between the second and
Gated, and it was impossible to probe
for it. 1t was stated that the mans in
juries might easily prove fatal, or that
they might not prove Of very serious
nature. 1t is feared that his left lung
is pierced, but should that not be the
case, there is great danger from blood
poisoning. Just how the shooting
occurred is something Of a mys-
terry. In a conscious moment Bell
stated that the revolver exploded while
he was cleaning it, and his wife would
say nothing. The statement is not be-
lieved by the police, however, as all Of
the chambers but one were found
loaded, and the circumstances did not
indicate an accident of that kind. It is
limited that he might have been shot in
taking the weapon from his wife, who is
said to have threatened suicide, and it
is also rumored that he fired the ball
with suicidal intent. From the position
in which they were found by the officer
it is quite possible that the wound was
inflicted in an attempt to shoot his wife.
Bell has not been engaged in business
since the high license law went into eff
feet, but has lived upon an income left
him by the death of his mother year
or so ago.
Among yesterdays arrivals weres,sW.
B. Glow, Carleton college; Mrs. NJ. E.
Slater, Grand Forks, N. D.; Miss May
Dow, st. Paul; Mrs. W. B. Stone. Miss
Stone, Mrs. NJ. H. Grant, Miss Pierce,
U. s. Grant, F. W. Buescher, j. c.
Grant, Mrs. L. H. Stanton, Minneap-
oils; Miss |. l.. Pierce, Chicago; Mrs.
Albert Armstrong, st. Paul; j. NJ.
Campbell, Boston; Mrs. Blake and
daughters, Minneapolis; Mrs. Doug
lass, Merriam Park.