Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-02-20
SEDUCER SHOT.

is signed by all judges.
sEDUcER SHOT.
Scene in . California Court Room-A Do
fenseless Young Girl Shoots Her Be-
trayer.
SAN DIEGO, Cal, Feb. 14.-What may
prove to be tragedy occurred yesterday
morning in the Superior Court, when
Judge Campbell was hearing the case Of
Bertha Johnson against William Mayne,
on the charge of attempting to murder
by giving her poison to take, after caus-
ing her ruin. The defendant had denied
on the witness stand all Miss Johnson's
statements, and had declared her to be
liar. The counsel had retired to the
Judges chambers to settle the instruc-
tons Mayne sat on the west side of
the long table before the court stenog-
rapher's table. The girl sat at a
table back of him. She got up and
walked to the end of this table, and
pouring water in a glass touched it to
her lips. Then she stepped forward and
raising her hand, in which she held a
large pistol, fired the ball into the back
of Mayne's neck. He slipped down a
little in the chair, with his head resting
on the back of it, exclaiming ''Oh!" Two
shots then followed. both going over his
head. Walter Blake, reporter, stopped
the fourth shot by knocking the pistol
from her hand and pinioning her arms
'Do with me what you will: he has
ruined me- she said, very white and
tremb bling.
A doctor present helped to lay Mayne
on the floor and examined the wound.
He never lost consciousness and the
doctors say he has a chance to live.
The girl was committed to Jail. When
asked why she did this act, Miss John
SON said:
ssThat man has ruined me. I am
ready to die now. / did it because did
not get Justice the last time, and was
afraid 1 would not get justice this time. !"
District Attorney Dorney is placed in
a delicate position. He believes in the
Justice of the girls cause, and he says
he will do his duty. If after consider
alton he is convinced his duty is to de-
fend her, he will resign the Office to do
it. In the first case brought by the girl
the jury disagreed. The girl is Swede,
and served as a waiter at the hotel,
where she met Mayne. She is short
and comely blonde, and had been we'll
thought of up to the bringing of the
first case. She has no relatives in
America, where she has been two years.
Fire at Chicago.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE large brick
and stone building at Adams and Mar
ket streets, owned by the great dry
goods house of j. v. Farwen & Co.,
caught fire early yesterday, and be-
fore the flames could be subdued the
| southern half Of it was gutted.
A careful estimate of the loss made
after the fire was under control places
the total damage at S475, 600, of which
Mr.. Work loses $325,OO0, Taylor Bros.
$50, 600 and Farwel & Co, on the build
| ing, S1O0, 600; insured.
William Sallander, a fireman, while
| on a thirty-six-foot ladder on the south
| wall, was knocked from his footing and
| fell to the stone pavement below. He
| struck on his head and was picked up
unconscious. His skull was fractured
| and he was internally injured.
Died at His Post.
ALBUQUERQUE, n. NJ, Feb. 14.-An
accident occurred in the A, T. e. S. r.
| yards last evening whereby Engineer
| William Taylor lost his life, though he
saved his train and prevented any injury
! % the passengers. The passenger train
/ trom the north was five hours late and
| anne into the yard at high rate Of
| speed- A switch was open and the train
| vent in and was met by yard engine
18th heavy train The yard engine
was wrecked. The fremen of the pas
senger train and switching crew saved
their lives by jumping, but Taylor, who
remained at his post, was SO badly
crusteG ae lived only few minutes
A Bump on Bethel
| KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Feb. 14-John ID.
Bethel, ex-marketmaster and brother
| in-law of Alderman Martin Regain
was shot at an early hour this
morning by Ben Jeter, an ex-police-
man and keeper of = saloon at Fifth
and Walnut streets. Bethel will re-
cover, but had an almost miraculous
escape from instant death Bethel bad
fired at Jeter and the latter in se1f-de
| Tense fired In return, a bullet fattening
itself on Bethers skull, but without
doing him any injury beyond raising .
bump The quarrel was over trifing
money dispute.