The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-26

evaded the question, though I finally adj
mitted having seen an individual answer
ing that description pass down the hall
with Mrs. Ford. AS a matter of fact /
have seen her with as many as three or
four gentlemen in one day, though do
not know if they went to her room.
about 1 o'clock this morning I was
awakened by some one with the startling
information that there was trouble in the
Fords' room. / heard no pistol shots.
Hastily dressing myself rushed to Ford 8
room and there found some eight or ten
people, among whom were one or two
policemen. Mrs. Ford was on the lounge
and appeared to be in great pain, though
she made no complaint against her assail-
ant. 1t was fully an hour before the
patrol wagon came, and during that time
the poor woman was without attention,
except what Miss Moore could do alone.
understand Ford was drunk at the time,
though | am not prepared to positively
affirm this. From what | have seen he
certainly had some cause for jealousy,
though there is no excuse for his attempt
ing to commit murder"
Miss Moore, who was the first to reach
the side of the wounded and now dying
woman, tells what she knows of the trouble
in the following manner:
81 was up rather late writing letters,
when suddenly l heard pistol shot, fol-
lowed by another and third, until five
altogether were fired. AS | reached the
hall saw Mrs. Ford come out into the
hall for a few feet, turn and stagger ba ok
to her room. When reached the lounge
on which she had fallen / found her
covered with blood from head to feet, but
still conscious. Assisted by a gentleman,
who arrived few moments later, the
wounded woman was carried to the bed.
"As tenderly as possible l undressed her
and bathed the blood and powder stains
from her face and arms. Then she told
me that her husband, John Ford, had shot
her. The husband accused her of infidel-
lty, which was bitterly resented by the
wife. Then he asked her for a pistol.
which, it seems, she had hidden. Fearing
that he would find it and attempt to do
her harm, Mrs. Ford rushed to the he'd
after the weapon. OF what followed Mrs.
Ford could give no clear account, though
she said she had engaged in a struggle
with the infuriated man, during which
every chamber in the pistol was fired.
Mrs. Ford at first blamed her husband
greatly for the rash act, but when he was
brought into the room all of her luminosity
seemed to fade away.
"'Oh, why did you do it, John? p she ex-
claimed. Please come and kiss me-
81 really do not think Ford had any
cause to be jealous. They had rooms
right opposite my own, and [ am sure that
her conduct, so far'as could observe, was
above reproach. They came in Sunday
night about o'clock. apparently the best
of friends"
Three of the I'VE shots fired by Ford
took effect, one in the left side of the neck,
a second in the right arm just below the
shoulder, and the last through the palm
of the left hand, necessitatiDg the ampu-
tation of the third finger. After emptylng
his revolver Ford made dash for liberty
through second-story window. He fell
some twenty feet, and when captured was
found TO have sustained internal injuries
of rather serious character. In addition
to this three ribs were broken by the fall.
The jealous husband stated yesterday
that he was not drunk at the time of the
shooting, but was simply crazy. He fails
to assign any reason for this sudden evil
dence of insanity.
The woman, who is now lying at deaths
door, married Ford some seven years ago,
though if the husband is to be believed,
her parents are still unaware of the rela-
lions existing between them. Mrs. Ford
was formerly Miss Lizzie Driven, living
at 425 Stevenson street. She continued to
receive letters under that name at the ad-
dress given above. Mrs. Driven supposes
her daughter to be working out, though
she is not unaware of the fact that Ford at
one time paid her great deal of attention.
The husband stated yesterday that he
would give his life to undo the work of a
few moments of anger, though he affirmed
time and again that it was all the result Of
an accident