The herald., 1896-11-29
Nov Soon to Fill q Murderer's
Grave
PROMPTED BY JEALOUSY
p. J. Kelly Makes an Attempt to Kill
His Family
Police Arrive and Take a Hand
in the Shooting.
Associated Press Special Wire


SAN JOSE, Nov. 2S.-The wife of p. ].
Kelly, jeweler is dying from shot fired
at her by her husband, and one of the
Kelly children has a broken arm as the
result of its fathers bullet and Kelly is
himself fatally wounded by bullets from
the police. The affray, which occurred
shortly before noon, has caused intense
excitement and the entire city is in an
uproar. Kelly this morning locked his
place on Santa Clara street, and then de-
iiberately attempted to murder his wife
and two children. With all the doors
locked and barred he began shooting.
One child fell with bullet through the
arm. Mrs. Kelly dropped with bullets
through her hand and body. Meanwhile
the woman and children were screaming
murder" at the top of their voices ana
calling for help. The screams and shoot
ing were heard on the streets. crowd
soon gathered outside, and policeman
attempted to break in the locked door.
He was unable to break down Kelly's
barricade. Other officers arrived and
could see through the window Kelly
standing and shooting at his wife and
children and witnessed their Intellectual
efforts to escape from the infuriated
man. The little children were pitifully
trying to hide behind chairs and tables.
The policemen opened fire on Kelly
through the glass windows, and after
several wild shots fired fearfully, for
fear of striking the children, Kelly was
down with a shot through theb ody.
Kelly and his wife and wounded child
were carried to their rooms over the
store. Physicians say that Kelly and
his wife are both dying. 1t is supposed
that Kelly is insane.
Kelly came here few years ago from
Australia, and also lived for a time in
San Francisco. There has been truble
in the family for some time, and Kelly
has been in the police court for disturb
ing the peace. Mrs Kelly made an ante
mortem statement indicating that jeal-
ousy prompted Kelly's acts. She said
Kelly locked the doors and brgan shoot
ing at her without cause. first trying to
kill her witha razor, but she broke away
from his grasp as he was preparing to
cut her throat. Kelly had a siX-shooter
ready, and when the razor method failed
he picked up the revolver and began
shooting at her. The children are not
hurt and the policemen escaped injury,
though Kelly finally turned his pistol on
them.
Kelly made wild statements to the
officers, denying all knowledge of shoot
ing his wife, but vaguely intimating
some trouble between them. He said
Il told my wife not to go upstairs, but
she would go. That is disreputable
house. She must keep away from there
Don't let those people upstairs have my
| property. They will take all my deeds
if they can."
Kelly made a will leaving his prop
erty at San Diego, CAL, and Clairmont,
Australia, to convent for the benefit
of his children, desiring the convent to
take his children and raise them we'll
Mrs. Kelly Is believed to be better to-
night and her physician now has strong
hopes of her recovery. She has a flesh
wound on the right shoulder and a
frightful cut on the neck from the ra-
zor. The instrument hit the bone of the
chin, and this saved her life. She
grasped the razor in her hand, which is
terribly cut The shot in the abdomen
is believed now not to have pierced the
cavity. Her clothing was shot in
dozen places, but the balls only grazed
the flesh.
Kelly has two scalp wounds and
third ball ploughed the skull and pene-
trated the brain. He will die He is
unconscious but still alive He is IA
years old, native of Alton, Ill. He
was once alderman in Omaha and cap
tain of police there. 1t is said that he
was mayor of Leadville once. His mar
ried daughter and son are at San Diego.
He met his wife in Australia nine years
ago. His wife says he intended to Kill
her and commit suicide, and the paper
which he wrote yesterday shows this
probably to be true She says he had
no intention of hurting the children. and
thinks her little daughter was hit by
some of the flying bullets, accidentally
The child has simply Il flesh wound in
the arm. Kelly was shot in the arm by
/ an officer but the wound in the head he
| made himself. He had three pistols
and fired them all Probably total Of
thirty-five shots was fired
KELLY'S BAD RECORD.
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 2S.-James P. Kel-
iy, who shot the woman with whom
he lived at San Jose today and was him
self shot by the officers, was we'll known
in San Diego, and has a daughter and
| son here. From the latter it is learnei i
that Kelly deserted his family in Den
| Yer in 1884 and fled to Australia to es-
| cape arrest for crookedness. His wife
| obtained a divorce and married o. Stei-
| zer and moved to this city. The
| children followed them. About two
years ago Kelly, accompanied by Mrs.
| Mack, who had come with him from
| Australia, appeared here. Kelly en-
| tered into law suits with members of
| his family here, and succeeded in eu .
| cheering them out of considerable
| property. Then he had a small jewelry
| shop on d street. which he conducted N
| the name of Mrs. Mack, in order TO
avoid a Judgment obtained against him
| by his son. Kelly then robbed Mrs.
Mack and left town, going to San Jose
| She followed him there some months ago
and they again lived together. Kelly 5
son James, who is a resident of this
| city, says that his father was formerly
| mayor of Leadville, Col.
THE LONGSHORE STRIKE