Evening star., 1896-12-23
ATTEMPTED MURDER
James Williams Tries to Kill Rela-
tives and Shoots Himself.
WOUNDED HIS WIFE TWICE
Shots Resulted From Long-Pend-
ing Family Troubles.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH

James Williams colored. forty-two years
old. attempted double murder and then
attempted suicide at the home of his
mother-in-law Mrs. Elizabeth Colbert. No.
453 Washington street, about noon today.
Three shots were fired, one at his wife, one
at his aged mother-in-law and the third
ore entered his own brain The shooting
caused a great amount of excitement In
the neighborhood. and large crowd of
curious people soon gathered in front of
the house. Among them were Sergt. Lom-
hardy and several officers of the sixth pre-
cinct, who took charge of the supposed
dead mans body and had the injured wife
hurried of to the Emergency Hospital.
Two of the bullets had wounded her, the
one intended for her and the one intended
for her mother. The first shot had in
hicted a wound in her left jaw, while the
bullet intended for the aged woman had
passed through her hand.
After the injured woman had been taken
away in the patrol wagon, DIR. Sillers was
summoned, and when he found that the
man was still breathing the police directed
that the wagon be again called in order to
remove him to the hospital. The bullet
mad entered his head just in front of the
right ear, so that his death seemed only
question of short while.
All the parties to the affair are coIored
Domestic trouble and whisky are respon-
SlDIe for the crime.
Family Troubles
Williams. already stated is about
forty-two years Old and his wife, who is
several years younger. is a good-looking
muiatto woman. Several years ago they
were married and lived together at Cape
May Until TWO months ago, when she left
him and returned here 20 her parents In
the New Jersey city they had not lived
happily together. for the husband had i'll
treated ard beaten Cornelia, and even
when she left him he seemed perfectly well
satisfied to let her go. But a month ago
wnen ne realized what it was to be de-
priyed of his wife's company ne came here
tc see after Ter. He sober AMI prom
lsed to do right, and his father-in-law
Leonard Colbert, who is perhaps seventy
years OLD, gave him the privilege of re-
naming in his house. For short while he
Kept sober and got along withou. much
dlnlcuIty, but as soon as he renewed his
incorporate habits he became quarreIsome
ara IL was evident to Cornelia that they
could not live together again. The dstribu-
ton OF their household effects at the sea-
sue proved troublesome problem. ard
ABOUT these Williams quarreled and finally
struck his wife. Then he was no. permit
ted 10 remain ii the Colbert house any
longer, and mad to seek quarters else
where.
TN CO. he said. but before I leave
town I'll make you houer murder
Ihis statement alarmed his WIFE although
After that he continued to pay visits to the
house, and this morning he called and
ehatted with his wife. who was in the back
room at work over the ironing board Then
he went in the front room and conyersed
with his mother-in-law for a while Mrs
Colbert, who Is more than sixty years old
was propped up in bed. where she has been
Tor four years. suffering from a complica-
llon OF diseases. All this time he had a re-
Volyer in his pocket. There were two empty
shells in the ugly weapon and three in
hSr vr-Zr ha,l
The Shots
Williams sat near the foot of the bed ap-
parently reading book. and occasionally
he would call to his wife. in his effort TO
keep up the quarrel between them.
The wife's responses were mild for she
did not want to keep up the quarrel Sud-
uenIy ne left his seat and went hurriedly
TO the back room, and saying something in
the nature of threat he leveled his
weapon at her head and pulled the trigger.
On. I'm killed" she cried when she felt
She force of the bullet that had inflicted a
wound IN her jaw.
Thinking he had sent the bullet crashing
through his wffe's brain and killed her the
ihtendeq murderer went back to the room
in which he had left the aged invalid and
attempted TO end the life of Vhe poor harm
less woman But Corn.ii:. who had sus
pected this, was close at his heels and she
grabbed the pistol just he leveied it al
her mother Then II was thar she got the
bullet in her hand
Turning from his Utfa.s e-nbr,ca VIZ
Ilams put the weapon to his head and fired
the third shot. He fell 10 the floor 11nron-
Selous' with his feet at The foot OF the he'd
L.iIS eAcitlhe lncldeht drove he poor old
woman almost crazy and she made an nm
successful attempt TO get out of bed
MY daughters killed. she cried several
mi, ms, m put the twice wounded daughter
Iusheu 10 hei and assured her that she had
Lot oeea Filled, but was lust painfuIII,
wounded Then the old woman's husband
tSile III from the back yard and remained
AT ms WiL+s bedside and comforted her
while the body of the supposed dying man
was there on the floor and the crowd bsd
possession of the house '
Wife's Statement
10 Star reporter Mrs Williams related
the story of the shooting as told. and said
tnat Williams has a brother in Cape Nav
In addition 10 being an expressman. she
said. he was a contractor and was well
known in Cape May.
was standing at the ironing board
NoF6ii;g. she said, when he came in and
shot me in the jaw Then [ followed him
10 the 'front.' room and grabbed the pistol
JLst as ne was about TO kill my mother -
She said she had tried the hist she coul5
70 hve with her husband in peace but had
found ii impossible to do So
Ns- Coioert told a Star reporter the
SttFy OF the unpleasant relations between
her daughter and husband and of his bev
HS assaulted her week ago. when he
"OUlu make ner ''nOIlsr
before he left town He was a dri,IIn
man; she said. and she attributed ali the
trouble to whisky. IS fE.7s ~ '-ie
He had been drinking when he came
here this morning." she said .H, had
tried TO make me believe he was eoi1r.
away To-Day, but 1-thousht he was I'm 10
something wrong l heard him shoot M,
daughter and then he came back In NV
room and pointed the pistol right at NV
mead. When he pulled the srigger /
thought he had killed me and thnp ! -
him turn and shoot ffirnseIfs'- s
Rev. John Roberts, the colore,l minister
VINO has assisted So many condemned me-,
In their prepare lions 70 die oa the scarf,id
was among the first to reach the house
and he remained tbere- some atirna- to offer
spiritual consolation should Ii become nee
esSary. -. - .,-s.S. 80
Mrs. williams was accomDanied IN III.
hospltaI by aJrteaSs-. As already. stated
the man was thought 20 be dead and tbs
oincers were about o move hrs body 10 the
moFSue, but Sergeant Lombardy wanted
the coroner 10 see the corcition of affairs
before WaS cbad