The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-01
:, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 1, 1895.
shot The GOVERNORS Son
An Awful Tragedy Results from a
Liaison in kentucky.
MURDER or ARCHIE D. BROWN
Discovered in Company with Mrs. Cor.
don-In the Shooting That Follows
Both Arc Killcd-Gricf Of
Governor Brown.

Louisville, KY, April 3O.-Archie
Brown, the governors son and secre
tary, paid with his life today for a liza.
ison with another mans wife. The
latter shared the fate Of her paramour
the wronged husband shooting them tc
death in the room In which he had sur
prised them in their guilt.
Fulton Gordon Is the name of the man
who so terribly avenged his domestic
dishonor.
The tragedy Is one of the most sensa-
tional in the history Of the state, on
account Of the prominence of the per-
sons involved. and the circumstances
surrounding the case. 1t occurred at
1895 o'clock in an evil resort kept by a
colored woman at 1925 West Madison
street Brown was killed in the room,
and Mrs. Gordon was shot as she was
fleeing from the place.
At noon, Brown with Gordon's wife
knocked at the front door OF Lucy b.
Smiths Madison street house. They
were admitted by Matte Mattingly, a
colored woman, and Immediately re-
paired to the upstairs front room,
which had been previously engaged.
Thirty minutes later a tall, dark haired
man knocked at the door of the house
and was admitted. He engaged the
front lower room, saying that a wo-
man would join him there shortly. The
man closed all the doors and a few
minutes later a commotion was heard
above, followed by succession of
pistol shots. Then there was a hurried
movement down stairs, and Mrs. Cor
= aAJ =.
shots rang out and she fell dead on
the porch in the rear yard.
CHASTITY Work Completed.
Gordon left the house Immediately.
few moments later Browns corpse
was found In the upstairs room.
The following telegram was taken
from his pocket:
Louisville, KY, April 2S.
Archie ID. Brown, Governors Private Sec
retary, Frankfort, KY:
Don't write any more. Come Tuesday
Meet me at $40 a. m. T.. NJ.
1t was pursuant to this telegram that
Brown met Mrs. Gordon this morning
AS soon as Gordon gained admittance
a duel to the death evidently began
Brown had a revolver, which was found
empty after the tragedy. Gordon must
have had two pistols, as six bullets
pierced Browns body and three that of
Mrs Gordon. The walls of the room
are smeared with blood and filled with
bullet holes.
The slayer of his wife and her para
mour was arrested while getting into
his buggy. He exclaimed: 81 shot
both of them. They are both dead
Come with me and I will show you
where they are'
Story OF the Battle.
Gordon said to the officer on the way
to the Jail that he had suspected the
couple for some time, and about a
week ago he found that his suspicious
were correct. He went to the house
this morning and found them in the
same bed. He drew his pistol and fired
five shots at Brown, by which time the
governors son had his own pistol in
play. Brown fired two shots at Gordon
Then the latter grappled with him and
took his pistol away from, and shot him
with his own weapon. After shooting
at Brown he shot at his wife as she
was going down the stairs, striking her
just as she reached the bottom. She
fell dead outside the door,
Browns body lay on the floor of the
room in which he was killed until 2
o'clock, when 1t was removed by Under
taker King. The body presented a
horrible appearance. being covered with
blood from head to foot. There was no
clothing on the body except a pair of
drawers and pair of socks. There
We're three gun-shot wounds in the
breast. one of them being over the re-
gion of the heart; two wounds In the
head. one being in the center of the
forehead. There was another in the
center of the stomach, and another in
the right arm.
Mrs Gordon was lying on a cellar
door in the yard. face downward. She
was clothed only in a chemise and shirt.
and was in stocking feet. Her hair was
hanging in tangled mass.
Member of an Old Family.
Mrs. Gordon was Miss Nellie Bush,
of this city. Her family is one of the
most prominent in this state. Her
mother was once state librarian and
her grandfather was Judge Zachariah
Wheat, chief justice of the court of
appeals of Kentucky.
Fulton Gordon at the time of his
marriage was one of the best-known
men about town. He was then clerk at
the Gait House Of this city, and had
acquaintances in every portion of the
country. They eloped about ten years
ago.
The coroner held an inquest over the
bodies this afternoon and the jury rem
dered a verdict of justificable homicide.
1t is understood, however. that Gordon
will be held for a formal preliminary
examination.
Frankfort, KY, April 3O-The news
of the tragic death of Arch Dixon
Brown, son of the governor, reached
here shortly after 1 O'Clock. Governor
Brown, who was at the time sitting in
his Office quietly conversing with Sec
retary of State Headly and Commits
sioner of Agriculture Mcdowell. was
completely overcome when apprised Of
the tragic fate Of his son, to whom he
was as devoted as 1t was possible for
a father to be. The governors grief
was uncomfortable and he gave way to
the most piteous lamentations. He and
Secretary Headly left at 8 o'clock for
Louisville.
IN IJI1CUANnsG pRESENCE