The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-11
COULD FIND NO WORK
Dependent Man at Tacoma
Shoots Wife and Himself.
AN ATTEMPT AT ARSON FOOLED.
Deliberate Astsmps TO Destroy m
Insured Bafiding-The Helen
Grier Murder Trial.

TACOMA, Sept d. Especial l. Albert
McAchren, aged s., shot his wife Edith
through the neck this afternoon, and tried
to shoot his daughter Bessie, aged 8. but
missed her. He then placed the 3S-ealibre,
Smith & Wesson revolver, with which he
did the shooting, TO his right temple and
shot himself. When Mrs. McAehren vas
asked why her husband shot her she an-
swered promptly: because he loved me
and could not support me-" She may re-
cover. The bullet passed in under her left
ear and came out under the other ear.
The story of the shooting Is best told by
Bessie, who is a pretty, bright girl. too
young 10 realize the condition Of her
parents. Bessie says:
Papa and mamma came from Ohio. We
lived st Fidalgo, where papa rented
farm, until last Christmas, when we moved
TO Portland. We came here a week ago,
and stopped at the Kirby house. Papa
expected 10 get work. ray uncle. Mr.. Camp
bell, being at work on the Northern Pa
cific railroad here. Papa went down town
after We moved in Unto Capt. Leonard's
lodging house, on G and Twelfth streets
this morning. he went to order wood.
When he came back he told me to get
ready to go TO the train 10 meet my aunt,
who was coming. was ready, and mamma
was driving flies out of the bedroom and
getting ready 10 rest while We were gone.
when papa shot at her across the bed.
Mamma fell over on the bed and ran out
into the kitchen screaming. Papa chased
me and shot at me, and my hair was
burned"
Bessie's hair was singed, and at one
place 1t looked as if the light, fiossy hair
had been cut by the bullet. Continuing,
Bessie said: Papa was shaking and
could not shoot straight. After he shot at
me he pointed the revolver ct his head.
but his hand kept shaking, and he shot
just as ran down stairs. He never had
revolver before, and do not know where
he got it,"
After running out of the house, Bessie
met another girl, who ran to the county
Jail near by and informed Jailer Duval
and reporter of the Tacoma bureau of
the Posr-ISTELLfeEscER, who was present.
Capt. j. Leonard was down stairs when
the shooting occurred. He took his re-
volver and went upstairs alter the second
shot was fired. In all there were three
shots. He found McAchren bathing q
flesh wound in his hand in bowl of
water in one corner of the bedroom.
Leonard ran for help. DR.. QuiveIi and
the police patrol wagon in charge of Sergt
Ellis responded.
what have you been doing?n asked the
doctor, addressing McAchren, who was
still bathing his hand in the bloody water
in the bowl.
"OnIy case of suicide, and-and muir
DER" replied McAchren. without moving.
He spoke in quiet, logged manner, al
most derisively.
ssxybSra 10 vnur gnn pu a~kad QuivaU
fearing McAchren, whom he did not
know. still had the pistol and might shoot.
ats in the other ROOM" replied Nc
Achren, still without moving. He was
busy bathing his hand. Blood dripped
from the bullet wound on the side Of his
head. Quiveli got the pistol and then APP
preached the woman. AS he did so Nc
Achren asked. still without showing the
least emotion: lis she dead YETI"
The doctor said she was not, and asked
her why the man had shot her. because
he loved me-" she replied feebly. sand
couldn't support me-"
McAchren was taken TO the city Jail.
His wife was made as comfortable as pos
sible. Later McAchren was taken to the
city and county hospital. He has not had
steady work for a year. On this point lit.
tie Bessie says:
al never heard papa speak about being
out of work until this morning. when he
said there wasn't any work for him to do.
He and mamma never quarreled."
Bessie recovered from her fright in about
an hour. When bedtime came she said,
without seeming to realize that her moth
er's life hung IN the balance; al don't
want to sleep with mamma tonight"