The record-union., 1896-03-31

SAN FRANCISCO, March 30.-The
City Hall corridor Immediately in front
of the office of the Chief of Police was
the scene of a tragedy at 9:3O O'Clock
this morning. 1t marked the compile
fion of a deserted wife's revenge.
At that hour Deputy County Clerk
John F. Martin was shot down by his
wife, who had been driven to the deed
by real or fancied wrongs.
The corridor was filled with people,
who scattered at the first shot, leaving
an open space, wherein could be seen
the principal actors in the tragedy.
The shot was accompanied by the
dreadful scream of a man in the agony
of mortal terror, and as the smoke
cleared away the startled spectators
saw a man lying upon the tiled floor,
while above him bent a we'll dressed,
handsome young woman, who held in
her right hand a smoking pistol
Without an instant'S hesitation the
woman fired two more shots at the
PROSTATE figure. She was perfectly cool
and deliberate about her movements,
and would have poured the entire con-
tents of the pistol into her victim had
not Detective Crockett, who had been
standing outside the Chiefs office
rushed up, and seizing her around the
waist, disarmed her.
He drove me to do this," she ex-
claimed in hysterical tones as the Of
ficer led her away to the police matrons s
room in the city prison.
While the officers were taking charge
of Mrs. Martin willing hands were bus
lily egaged in lifting the wounded man
from the floor and carrying him into the
detectives room, where he was placed
upon the table. A message was sent
to the Receiving Hospital, but by rea-
son Of some unexplained delay it was
nearly twenty minutes before the Of
ficialS arrived to take him to the hos
pital
Martin lay upon the table groaning
and feebly calling for help during these
minutes of delay, which seemed hours
The suddenness of the attack and the
pain of his wound seemed to have
stunned his faculties. He kept repeat
ing, Il have always been a good man.
and no one had a right to kill me-
Martin could not talk coherently, and
did not seem to have the slightest no.
ton that the minister of vengeance had
been his wife.
Finally, when Martin was removed to
tae Receiving Hospital, Assistant Po-
lice Surgeon FitZgibbOn found that but
one bullet had taken effect. The cold
blOoded character of the shooting was
shown by the fact that the bullet had
entered the center of the back, thence
1t had ranged downward, perforating =
the intestines and passing clear through
the body. DR.. F'itZgibbon at once pro-
nOunced the wound fatal
Martin appeared to be suffering ex-
treme pain, and was placed under the
influence of opiates.
Mrs. Susan Martin is a sister of Mrs.
Ned Foster, wife of the proprietor of
the Bella Union Theater. She is Mar
tins second wife. She became ac-
qGainted with him when he was con-
Quoting the Bella Union barroom They
were married about two years ago, and
have lived at $40 California street. Lit
tie is known of their married life be-
yond the fact that it was an unhappy
one.
Mrs. Martin was much overcome after
her arrest, and was hardly able to talk.
Her statement to the police, made i'm
mediately after the shooting, was to
the effect that Martin had abused and
neglected her, and that for several
nights previous he had not been at
home.
This morning when I upbraided him
for his neglect he made some angry yreply
and walked away with the remark that
he did not purpose to be followed about
by me, referring to me in the vilest
terms.
HE walked up into the City Hall
without paying any more attention to
me and / followed him. 1 had no thought
of killing him. I only thought of my
own misery and of taking my own life
/ intended to plead with him again to
come home, but when l got Immediately
behind him the thought of using my
weapon suddenly flashed over me, and
acting on the impulse I drew it and
fired. 1 continued to shoot until two
men seized me and took my revolver
away"
Later.-At midnight Martin was still
alive and the physicians state that
there is a chance for his recovery