The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-30
Re MEANT MURDER.
Negro Shoots a Woman Who
Rejects His ADJ
dresses.

Richard Ruffin, a burly negro, was helu
without bail this morning by Justice Potts
in. the First Criminal Court to await the
result of injuries inflicted by him on Anna
Wells. a negress, living at No. 1897 Third
street. sRuffin yesterday afternoon, While
drunk. shot the Wells woman because she
would not marry him. The ball entered
the left side of her stomach and pene-
| trated her in%testines. She was removed
to the City Hospital. The bullet was
/ probed for and recovered, but the woman's
| chance of recovery is slight.
Rufin is. about thirty-eight years old
and is a laborer. For several months he
has been boarding at No. Ss7 Third street.
| while there he met Anna Wells, and, ac-
cording to his own statement, fell IN love
with the young woman. Miss Wells was
not fattered by the mans admiration, and
| told him so on every occasion that pre-
| scented itself.
He pressed his suit to the great an
noyance of the Wells woman. Time ana
time again she warned him to keep away
| from her and not bother her with his
declarations. He, however, continued to
| make what he was pleased to call love
to the woman. She finally became
| alarmed and urged Mrs. Eliza Brown, the
woman who ran the boarding house, to
request Rufin to leave, Mrs. Brown was
afraid to approach the man, as he had
on more than one occasion given an exhi-
bition of emper that alarmed her.
Rufin frequently declared that if he
could not win Anna Wells no otner man
would. The Wells woman concluded d
few days ago that it would be better LOT
| her to get out of the city for a time, as
Rufin had become suriy and was making
| all kinds of threats. She was discussing
the situation with Mrs. Brown Yesterday
afternoon at abOits Cive O'CLOCK, When
| Rufhn entered the house.
He was in an ugly MOOD ana a~nnoaheeo
that he was going to do something dirty;
Calling Anna Wells one side. he urged
her to marry him.
I'D rather be dead thar marry sucn a
brute as you," was the Womans answer.
Rufin seized her by the wrist and drag
! ged her across the room. Mrs. Brown IN
terfered and asked what he intended do
."rn kill this wench if she does net mar
ry me, and marry me today yelled
Rufn.
woman, defantly. YOU cannot scare me.
I dare you to kill me, you brute"
Rufin. seized the woman by the throat
and pinioned her against the wall. Mrs.
Brown tried to break his grasp upon the
woman's throat. but to no avail. Before
either woman realized what Ruf1n was
going to DO, he mao QFdWn d 0S-cdllDEG
| revolver from his hip pocket. AS soon as
Mrs. Brown saw the weapon she became
| hysterical. and attacked Rufffn savagely.
The Wells woman still defiant dared the
| man to shoot her.
inches of the woman's left breast and
| pulled the trigger. just at that instant
Mrs. Brown struck the revolver and
| knocked 1t down. The bullet intended
| for the woman's heart buried itself in her
She sank to the floor and lay there as If
dead.
| Believing he had ended her life. Rufin
seized his hat, dashed out of the house
| and started down Third street at a lively
gait.
Policeman Nevin saw him, pursued and
captured him. Rufin made no resistance.
He was removed to the Seventh street
| police station, and subsequently to the
City Hospital, whereshis victim lay at the
| point Of death. The woman positively
identified him as her assailant. In, court
| this morning Ruffin had nothing to say.
He did not sleep any last night. and was
found crying on three occasions by the
| guards.