Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-07
HIS WIFE'S INSULTER
Shot Down by Ashley Howell for
Which He Will Be Tried To-Day.
A SENSATIONAL GEORGIA MURDER.
Some Damaging Letters to Be Produced
Against HOwell's Wife,
WHICH REALLY CAUSED THE TRAGEDY

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.1
WARRENToN, GA, Oct. 6.-To-morrow
the trial of Ashley " Howell, charged with
the murder of Captain w. J. McGrath, will
begin. The story is one of sensational plot
and development. On the I'd of last April
Howell married Miss Julia De Beaugrine.
Miss Julia was one of several sisters, and is
a dashing brunette of handsome figure and
attractive features. Before her marriage to
Howell she was regarded as somewhat "fy, -
but the young couple moved Immediately to
Atlanta after their union.
Captain McGrath came from Charleston,
S. O., about four years ago. He was about
40 years old and had beautiful wife and
three little children, who came with him to
Warrenton. Bad blood arose between young
Howell and McGrath, few months before
the formers marriage, which became known
to several parties in Warrenton. When
Howell and his young bridge left for At
lanta, however, the matter was forgotten,
until one morning in early June Howell
suddenly appeared at Warrenton. He re-
mained about the town four days; when it
began to be whispered that trouble was
brewing.
OPENING OF THE TRAGEDY.
AS a sequel to this Captain McGrath was
seen to leave his store on the morning of
the 11th of June last and walk toward the
Court House with some mail matter in his
hand. Howell was seated in the window of
his brother-in-law' store. A moment after
McGrath't form had disappeared in the
doorway, Howell arose and walked toward
the Court House.
Howell entered the room and approached
McGrath. When within few feet of the
latter, Howell exclaimed: "Captain Nc
Grath, you have been writing letters to my
wife" With this excited declaration he
whipped out a pistol and fired five shots in
rapid succession. Every shot took effect in
McGrath's body and head except one. The
wounded man sank to the floor with groan.
McGrath was removed to the hallway of the
Court House, where, after speaking few
words, he breathed his last. The wife of the
unfortunate man was in millinery store
not so PAGES away and heard every shot.
Howell was met by Captain Shuoley, the
Town Marshal, who put him under arrest.
CAUSE OF THE MURDER.
The letter which Howell claims that Nc
Grath wrote to his wife and which fell into
his hands, thereby bringing about the
tragedy, is said to be very repulsive and in
decent Mrs Howell told her husband at
the time that McGrath had persecuted her
for long time with letters of a similar
character, and denied bitterly that her con-
duct had been such as to warrant advances
from McGrath. The defense will offer this
letter and others of similar character as
evidence of justification on Howell's part,
and the defense will offer witnesses whose
testimony will develop the fact that Nc
Grath sent parties to Atlanta to secure the
address of Mrs. Howell, in order to get in
communication with her.
On the other hand, the State will intro
duce about 20 letters from Mrs. Howell to
McGrath, one of which, it is claimed, in
vited the answer which fell into HowslPs
hands and precipitated the shooting. The
contents of some of these letters abound in
vulgarity of the most hideous type.