Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-01
DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.
Terrible Shooting Affair at Louisville,
Kentucky.
MAN AND WOMAN KILLED,
The Male Victim q Son Of Gov
crnor Brown's-His Compn nion In
Fatality an Errtng Wffe-kiilina
Done by the Husband.

LOUISVILLE. KY. April 3o.-A bloody
shooting affair took place this evening
when Arch Brown, the son and private
secretary OF Governor Brown. was shot
and killed by Fulton Gordon. Brown ard
Gordon's wife were suspected by Gordon
OF wrong-doing. They entered house
and Gordon, who followed. found them in
ilagrante delicto. Gordon began the shoot
ing. and Brown returned the hre. Mrs.
Gordon was shot during The melee and
Killed by her husband. The guilty couple
were completely taken by surprise, but
Brown had prepared himself FOR such a
visit. Gordon was not injured. although
he was covered with blood and was
thought to have been shot. lie Is. how
ever, In commissions.
Mrs. Gordon was a Miss Nellie Bush.
of this city, and belongs to one or the
most prominent families In the state. sne
eloped with Gordon about ten years ago.
Young Brown was recently divorced from
his wife. When the divorce was pun
lished. although no woinans name was
mentioned. Il - understood that the rea-
son for the divorce lay in Browns init
macy with Mrs. Gordon.
On account OF the high connections OF
all concerned the murder has caused
great sensation.
p ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Another account says that Brown and
Gordon's wife were In the house AZ 1923
Madison street, and Gordon followed
them and found them there together. lie
al once attacked Brown and shot him
OF. In.
iured Gordon. Gordon then turned his
weapon on mis- wife and shot a bullet
through her stomach, killing her Instant
| ly.
When the police arrived on the scene
| shortly after the shooting the woman
was living dead on the ceilar-door In the
| back yard OF the place, and Brown was
| In one of the upstairs rooms, great
| crowd gathered around the building. ana
| the excitement was intense, as all sorts
| OF rumors were anoat as to the killing
AZ the time of his marriage Gordon
was n clerk at the Gait House. Shortly
sfterward Gordon and his wife moved TO
| Frankfort where he became proprietor
/ of the KENYON House. This he continued
10 run until the Worlds Fair. when he
sold out his establishment and moved 10
| Chicago.
| Gordon was watching his wife and
| Brown, and saw them enter the house.
| He waited a few minutes and then rush
| ed In. finding the guilty couple together.
! He opened IRE Immediately and Brown
returned II. Nine shots were exchanged.
Brown firing four Gordon. az soon as
| Brown fell, shot his wife.
AWFUL DETAILS.
The tragedy Is one OF the most sensa-
tional In the history of the state on ac-
| count OF the prominence OF the persons
| involved and the circumstances surround
| ing the case. II occurred al 1888 o'clock.
| 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 IS.
Smiths house. They were admitted. and
| Immediately repaired 10 the upstairs
| front room. which had been previously
| engaged Thirty minutes later tall,
dark haired man knocked at the door Of
the house and WAS admitted. lie engaged
the front lower room. The man closed
all the doors, and a few minutes later A
commotlon was heard above, followed by
! a succession OF pistol-shots. Then there
was hurried move down stairs. as Mrs.
| Gordon fled from the scene. \ few more
shots rang out and she fell dead on the
porch in the rear yard. Gordon left the
house Immediately. A few moments
later Browns corpse was found IN the
upstairs room.
THE FATAL LURE.
The following telegram was taken from
his pocket:
LOUISVILLE. KY. April 2s 1895.
"Archie ID. Brown. Governors Private
Secretary. Frankfort. KY:
Don't write any more. Come Tues
day. Meet me at s. 10 A. MP. NJ"
II was pursuant 20 this telegram that
Brown met Mrs. Gordon this morning
IL was brief but sangu!nary battle
that was fought In the front room 81
the second floor of Lucy Smiths house.
As soon as Gordon gained admi,tance a
duel to the death evidently began. Brown
had a 3S-callbre revolver. which was
found empty after the tragedy. Six bull
let's pierced Browns body. and three more
that Of Mrs Gordon.
| The slayer OF his wife and OF Brown
was arrested by officers Reilly and La
palle while getting into hts buggy. lie
exclaimed: II shot both OF them. They
are both dead. Come with me and I'll
show you whore they are"
JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE.
The Coroner held an inquest over the
bodies this afternoon. and the jury rem.
dered a verdict OF justihable homicide
IL ~ understood however, that Gordon
will be held for Il formal preliminary
examination.