New-York tribune., 1894-01-01
PROF SHORTLIDGE'S MAD ACT
THE WELLKNOWN EDUCATOR KILLS HIS
WIFE.
INSANE FROM ILLNESS AND FINANCIAL RE
vEHsEs-TIIE VICTIM SLAIN N THE PrB-
iIC HIGHWAY At MErIN PrNS.-DE-
TAILS or THE TRAGEDY.
,py rrIEGn,pn TO TIE TRIBUNE. !

10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBrSnl
,,odio Penn. Dec. Sl.-Professor Swthin c.
shortlidge. head Of the well-known Media Aca-
dor,v for BOYS. this morning shot his wife, to
whom, he was married only six weeks ago killing
ber INSTANTLY Mrs Snortlidgc came from Brook
lvn Her maiden name was Mary Dixon Jones.
and her mother DR. Mary Ann Dixon Jones.
was the president of a womcn's dispcnsary IL
Drooxlyn for a ntimber Of years. There is hardly
a doubt that the act was due to deElented
mind Mr. Shortlidge has been sick from an at
tack OF the grip for several weeks ana mas SHOWN
syrptcms Of insanity for some time IN" SHOOT
ing occurred while Mr.. and Mrs. Shortlidge were
out walking near the home Of Isaac tlonhd'rs
on a by-road leading from Media proper to East
Media 4 fow minutes before the shots were
heard several persons met the couple walking
arn-n-arm Mr.. Shortlidge was very pale, an"
| his eyes were wild and staring To IN" salute "i
/ q friend he gave 10 recognition No one saw
/ tho shots fred but when they were heard isaac
EIonpdors and George Redmond ran to the spot
and found Professor Shortlidge with the smoking
revolver in his hand. He was standing over the
b,dv of his wife moaning "Oh. they were going
to take her away from me-" and repeating TINS
oyer and over again The revolver was SIX
chamber 32-calibrc and all the chambers were
found - be- empty Tho shots followed IN quo"
sic.cysion and thcs" who heard them say they
counted five Others say they heard but two OF
three.
Mrs. shortlidge was shot in the back Of the
beod Death was Instantaneous. Professor
Shortlidec was taken in charge by Constable NC
KniT Before the officer arrived ihe PROFESSOR
lay down on the ground. and. putting ms hea'
against hts wir,'s dead body. said Nv hy did
10 this and then repeated in moan'nS voice.
"oh they were going 10 TAX" hcr away from
me" when lodged in the borough jail tn" de-
mcnied man seemed not to realize why he was
there. lie asked "Oh. what IS This? Why am
here" Ills anguish seemed to be worse wheh
lcft alone lie complained that IL was no pace
10 put "A sick man lie said ho wanted o. 70
home and TAX" bath and put on c'''Il ,lV''9 "
The bod, ~ Mrs. ShortlidS' was 1"h'n 49, ~
, the nfllc. II Coroner rumhy. and TINS evening
, Or Samuel Beal. assisted bt DT. Harry ,I'"l
bell. made a p0st-mortcm "Nhnlna''h' ~
/. bullets were found in tn" brain. IL u l'yUs.
, that II more than three shots were irei 'h'
20 others missed the mark ,.
AL..r noon Professor Shortiidge was ta'er
from the borough lookup and sent II IN" '''''''
,au arl ,,,.t -,uder guard When the carraS'
. IN which be was taken started ne th'utn' .t n'
1t was going nome ana when II tuth'u ~ ~, % J"'
II he said This * not tho way to the school hi'
4 made an attempt to get out IL kept UP NE
II moaning at the jail. except when s'l''r "wI w
ersagcd him in conversation. Professor Sh"r'
- nire's friends have been ioariul r Imr S~'.r "''
a that his mind would give way. Tn" iaiIure %
- real estate and other ventures ABOUT yV%n
= ago great bio" u ms allo'u'',s , s',r,,s
Professor Shortlidg" married the woman a.,
irll., on November L. She was the sister pl LIZ
: Rev Henry Dixon Jones at that ti'i'' irC'~ ~, y
e., Christ Episcopal Church. ~ Media in' ',T, ~.
....... "a .,.rfDrnl~f ~ ia" ri.Nf - "E "
Jones Al thai time his resignation was III ~
~ hands II the ycstry. and took elect l'''cH"'
s. Miss Jones wis Professor Shor,lidscs sec"h
\ ,Jr. IIi. first wife died about two years az
~ fic has five children living 10y that Inarrl"p" ~.
. f.,i eighteen.
p, udgc established his school Tor BOYS II, 'l'nl
u $50 Tfc had formerly conducted similar scn'
" In Kauueti SQUARE Tn, school ~ Ntnli n'.'ul'
widely known. and ten vars ago & n"n " r,', ,'' :
"A eyerv state in the Union ani from 'Hha an
MeNicn \ few years ago MI Sho:tl'dgc b"gh
spcrulutiug IN real estate" II ,'N' u''Nlf' 90 -
about year ago was compelled 10 hl.lN' 4
Instrument Tho failure vas coIniN''e. pI' ~
school was saved 10y several az the hraNl''
So creditors forming stock ''mp'IS ,ss,
tho Media Academy Corporation. "i'SS'
Shortlldgc was retained as principal ne II
r brother of Professor Joseph Sh"ruluF''
H., Mapcwood Seminary. at '"nc"i,iNill,, AN, "ii -,
TX - vaynr Evan O. Shortlilgc. OF Wilmington -
90 Tn. nIpils u the academy were All M inc
II homer f,r the holidays today ana ir"I''S
{, Shor,ilIge's children wcT" also away IN" ~ ~
" saw Mrs StirtdIe leave home inns mo, - =,
an with her husband Last night he E'l "H, ~ ~, ~
and insisted upon taking walk ana. ta,npt t ,'''
, / lnt hin, e clone. his wife acconlpanirn nun
A. st,np,sei thaf the sam" notion Su''''l'S -
r. - ht,, his morning about haif-p1st >. a.
IT, / ,h,t his v.ifn again went with MN ht, t
?, nix was hurredly decided upon was SNOW SNOW 4,
the fact that both Professor IN n''ulnsu in 'i ~,
- Shortlidgo had ihrf h!S"' - JIM" ~
other garments ~, econo
-, Among the persons attracted t. ne S''H, l,h
rho killing was Mrs Sho:'hds' Hl''HI.. .,r - -
'H ,,ld vhat had happened sne was h''L. 81" -
or W., ,.|r,o,ol- h.moanc1 her daughl', -
&C. and assallel her murdeIrr MI. 80, ,o,, - C,ha
,,,t been an instructor az iIS.n ,t,r, 4, rf,v-l
' horshurg Penn. Professor Snoi ''''S' = 49,
ii e.. a.