The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-05-01
GUILTY COUPLE KILLED.
The Man in the Case a Son of
Keptucky's Governor.
A WRoEGED HUSBANDS REVENGE.
He Followed His wife and Her Paramour
to an Assisnation House and Riddied
Them with BuiIets--A Sensation In High
Kentucky Society.

Them with BuiIets--A Sensation In High
Kentucky Society.
LOUISVILLE, May l.-At separate under
taking establishments in this city lie tho
bodies Of perhaps two of tbs most prom
inent people in the state of kentucky. One
that Of Archie Brown, son and private
secretary to Kentuokys chief executive;
the other that of Mrs Fulton Gordon,
prominent because of her remarkable
beauty and excellent family connections
The story is sad one, aud has caused one
of the greatest sensations this city or state
has ever been called upon to chronicle.
Brown came to Louisville In response to
telegram from Mrs. Gordon, and met
her at 1895 Madison street, an evil resort
kept by Lucie b. Smith. The couple i'm
mcdiately went to an upstairs room which
had been previously engaged. Half an
hour later Fulton Gordon, the woman's
husband, went to the house and engaged a
lower room, saying that woman would
Join him shortly. Tho man closed all the
doors and II few minutes later a commo-
tion was heard above, followed by sue
cession OF pistol shots. Then there was q
hurried movement down stairs as Mrs.
Gordon fed from the scene A few more
shots rang out, and she fell dead on the
porch In the rear yard Gordon left the
house and Immediately Browns corpse
was found up stairs.
Gordon was arrested by Officers Reilly
and Lapaille as he was about to jump in
his buggy on n neighboring street. When
arrested he said: ~ shot both of them.
caught them In tho aot. They are both
dead. am shst too. Come with me and
I'll show you where they are"
Gordon was as pale as ghost and was
evidently very weak. The officers and
Gordon walked to Lucie Smiths. just 3
they got inside the front door Gordon
staggered and was about to fall, when Of
fioer Reilly caught him. He was in a
falnting condition aud somebody dashed
some water in his face The officers then
summoned the ambulance and Gordon
was sent to jail. Officer Lapaille said he
had known Mrs. Gordon by reputation for
some time. She had been going by the
name of Reese.
Never was there moro sanguinary bat-
tie than the one fought ON the second floor
OF Lucle Smiths house Gordon had no
difficulty In getting Into the room, as the
fact that there are no broken locks indi-
Gates that the doors were left unattached.
AS soon as Gordon gained egress a desper-
ate duel evidently began, Brown had a
thirty-eight caliby revolver, which was
found empty aftef the tragedy. Gordon
must have had two pistols, as six bullets
pierced Browns body and three that Of
Mrs. Gordon. The bed on which Brown
and Mrs. Gordon lay was covered with
blood showing that one or both had been
shot while in that position or that in the
struggle one or more Of the wounded had
fallen there.
Gordon himself was covered with blood,
most Of which doubtless was the result Of
contact with his wounded antagonist
What part, II any, Mrs. Gordon took in
the encounter, only Ter husband is in
position to say.
Two bullets are embedded in the door,
several went through window, three are
buried in the wall and two in the ceiling
Tho walls are smenred with blood The
dingy carpet on the floor is saturated with
gore, and the furniture was badly broken
In the fray.
Browns body is covered with blood from
head to foot There was no clothing on
the body except n pair of knit drawers
and pair Of black socks The undershirt
had been removed and the wounds were
plainly visible.
Mrs. Gordon's body was found on tho
cellar door, face downward clothed only in
chemiss and skirt, and In stocking
feet. Her hair was loose, and was hang
ing about her head in a tangled mass Her
face was calm and gave no sign of a struG-
gle. Her bosom WAS covered with blood
and her skirt bespattered with the fluid.
Her hands were tightly clenched and her
face smeared with splotches of blood
Gordon is unhurt, but is suffering from
nervous prostration. Gordon stated that
he tried TO kill himself after shooting
Brown and his wife but the cartridge
failed to explode, and his hand was nerv-
Gus. On his way to jail Gordon said that
he had suspected the couple for some time,
and about week ago his suspicious were
confirmed. Ever since he had kept watch
on his wife.
AT o'clock last night the coroner's jury
rendered a verdict of justila homicide.
Governor Brown, accompanied by Sec
Tetary of State Headley arrived In the city
from Frankfort last evening, and Is stop
ping at the Gait House. The governor is
completely FRUSTRATED by the affair.
Mrs. Gordon was Miss Nellie Bush, of
this city, and her family is ono of the best
known and most prominent in this state.
Her father was once state librarian and
her grandfather was Judge Zuchariah
Wheat, chief justice of the court of ap.
peals of Kentucky, and one of the most
learned and distinguished of kentucky
jurists. She eloped with Gordon about
ten years ago, She leaves three children.
Brown was divorced from his wife few
years ago, and his intimacy with Mrs.
Gordon was the ground for the separation.
On account Of the high social standing of
the parties none of the fncts were made
public at the time Of the divorce.