The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-15
Will Hummer Shoots His Wife
Through the Head.
The Bullet Removed and She
Will Recover.
JEALOUSY THE CAUSE
Though Both Husband and Wife
Deny
That the Shooting Was Inten-
tiOnaI.

viii o. Hummer. a nurseryman who
lives on Arter avenue in Oakland, shot
his wife in the head Saturday evening
about O'Clock in the west part Of
Shorey, west of North Topeka.
They have been married but three
weeks, and jealousy is said to have
caused the trouble Hummer and his
wife left home Saturday about $50
o'clock to come to the city where they
expected to get a livery rig and drive
to Meriden to spend the night with
friends. They drove through North
Topeka and west through ShOrey. AS
they reached the west part of ShOrey
they must have Quarreled, for they were
seen to be struggling in the buggy
They lighted from the buggy and she
tried to escape, running into q corn
field. He soon returned leading her by
the hand. They continued the strug-
gle About this time George n. Holmes
of the Santa Fe law department, who
lives a short distance from where the
couple were, saw Hummer grasp his
wife and hold her tightly, while he
drew a revolver and fired at her head.
Miss Bessie Nicer, who was on Holmes
front porch, was also an eye witness to
the tragedy, as were also Mrs. o. D.
Skinner, Mrs John YOst, Ross Hut
ton, and Assistant Superintendent But
Ter of the Reform school
When Hummer had shot his wife he
held her in his arms a moment or two
uAAL44 people came up. MI Butter was
the hrSt to arrive at the scene of the
shooting Hummer said to him: My
God, have I shot her. It is an acci-
dent
Hummer then laid his wife down by
the roadside, got into his buggy, and
with the remark that he was going for
a doctor, drove away. He was not seen
again until Sunday noon when he tele-
graphed Sheriff Cook at ElmOnt six
miles north of the city, saying that he
was at his uncle's farm six miles north
nf
TO him if he would come after him.
Sheriff Cook went up after him and
brought him back, locking him in a cell
IN the county Jail
The woman was taken in an ambu-
lance to the Salvation Army hospital.
She regained consciousness a few min
utes after the shooting and the first
thing she said was: "Wiu didn't do it.
Mother isn't to blame at all. ''She after
ward admitted that she was with her
husband and that he had done the
shooting. Sunday morning the bullet
was removed. 1t entered the skull
above the Occipital bone, making a small
hole. The bullet then ranged down
ward and lodged two inches below
where it entered.
Today the physicians in charge say
the woman Will probably recover. She
refuses to make any statements what
ever to anyone.
VIII o. Hummer was seen at the
county jail today by a reporter At first
he refused to discuss the case. But he
IL.
Hummer is a man Of perhaps 5 feet 9
inches in height, has heavy dark red
mustache, and dark eyes He is a
muscular fellow When asked how the
shooting occurred he said: well, I'll
tell you. I tried to kill myself Now
this is the truth; she was shot through
an accident
How could she have been shot by
accident?" was asked
Why, there was but one shot fired.
nred that But was trying to kill
myself. First put the revolver close
TO my head and pulled the trigger. 1t
failed Then held the revolver up to
one side of my head and fired. The
ball struck me on the top of the head.
(Hummer showed a small flesh wound
IN almost a similar position as the
wound which Mrs. Hummer received)
didn't shoot her, and all I can say is
that If she was shot, that bullet
glanced from my head and hit her. She
was close to me at the time and right
in range. don't know whether we
We're in the buggy or on the ground" -"
Why did you want to kill yOurself?'
%, 1 felt bad I haven't been well
lately I was feeling very bad, but not
because we had had any trouble
Hummer appeared to be in a dazed
condition. His answers were given slow
", and once during the talk he closed
his eyes as if to take a nap.
Hummer married Lucinda Hendricks
three weeks ago. Prior to that time
she had worked as a servant in Hum
mer's mothers residence in Oakland
The girls parents objected to the mar
riage, and it is said that cOnsidera Bile
enmity existed between Hummer and
the Hendricks family.
People who knew of the couple, say
that Hummer was intensely jealous of
his wife, being unreasonable in his de-
mands. He bears somewhat unsaVOry
reputation in Oakland where he lives
Mrs Hummer, the young woman who
was shot, is a very pretty woman. Her
hair is dark brown, ,luxuriant and Wavy.
Her parents live two miles east of the
city near the Santa Fe railroad right of
way.
Chief Strauss does not place much
credence in the theory of accidental
shooting. He thinks that the attempted
murder was premeditated. There is a
rumOr to the effect that Hummer
threatened on August to kill his wife
The suicide theory is discredited by
both Chief Strauss and Sheriff Cook
Saturday night after the shooting the
police and county officers set about
searching for Hummer and collecting
the evidence necessary for the trial
when Hummer should be brought to
Justice. The police were on the look
out for Hummer, who was driving a
sorrel horse. A Topeka newspaper man
who happened to be driving south on
Jackson street with a sOrrel horse, pass
ed police station at good speed. when
John WiIkerson got into a buggy and
took after him, thinking him the much
wanted man. Again on Kansas avenue
Patrolman Lucas took up the scent,
and the young man realized that the
annoyance was likely to be repeated
and returned to his home on a side
street.
The cut on Hummer's head is but a
slight flesh wound, which apparently
was made by a glancing bullet. The