Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-01-17
WAS II IN ACCIDENT?
Ex-senator Joe Blackburn's Youngest
Daughter,
Possibly Fatally Shot, in Her Bed
Room at Washington Hotel, a.
Midnight Saturday Night The
Explanation of the Affair Reluc-
family Made to the Public-Phy-
sicians Say She Will Probably
Live Until Morning.

Washington, D. c., January 16.-Mrs.
Lucille Lane, youngest daughter of ex-
Senator Joe Blackburn, of Kentucky,
shot herself in her apartments at the
Wellington Hotel last night. Accord
ing to the statement given out by the
family the shooting was accidental.
Both of Mrs. Lanes physicians re-
fused to discuss the subject even to the
extent of saying whether or not the
wound would prove fatal but from the
best that can be learned, she will prob
ably recover, although now suffering
severely from shock.
A friend Of the family nominated to
GIVE OUT A STATEMENT
of the occurrence, said that about mid
night on Saturday, Mrs. Lane was pre-
pairing to retire. Her husband at the
time was in the adjoining room looking
over the paper. Mrs. Lane opened a
bureau drawer to get a handkerchief
and picked up handful of gloves and
laces which had been tossed together
in the drawer. Under this fluffy mass
was tiny lady's pistol, a gift to- Mrs.
Lane from her father, and possession
of which she was particularly fond. 1t
caught in a piece of lace as she raised
her. hand, and, falling of it's own
weight, struck the hammer on the
edge of the open drawer. The pistol
exploded and the ball
PENETRATED HER LEFT BREAST.
What became of it is impossible to say.
According to the statement given out,
it struck rib and glanced around be-
meath the left shoulder, making only
a superficial wound. At the same time
it is said that Mrs. Lane is suffering
SO from shock that the physicians have
devoted all their energies to rallying
her without attempting to definitely as
certain the extent of the injury. The
most precise statement that either ply
stefan would make tonight was that
Mrs. Lane would probably live until
morning. At the request of the family,
the block in which the hotel is situated
has been roped off
Senator Blackburn is deeply affected
by the occurrence. He does not life
with his daughter, and when the af-
fair occurred was summoned from his
room on New York avenue, remaining
thereafter at Mrs. Lanes hotel
Lucille was the younger of Senator
Blackburn's two daughters.
SHE WAS MARRIED IN 1895
to Thomas F. Lane. prominent bust
ness man and politician of Summit, n.
]. At the time of the marriage Mr..
Lane was a chief of division in the
Treasury Department. Subsequently
he accepted place with the Maxim
Arm Company, of New York, as their
agent in Washington. The position
is reputed a good one and the Lanes
had apparently always an abundance
of money which they spent freely, llv-
ing at a fashionable hotel and seeming
to lack none of the good things of life.
Their little girl, something over a
year old was one of the favoritos
about the house with all who knew
her and the particular pride Of her
mother Mr.. and Mrs. Lane, according
to those who saw them every day,
were unvaryingly affectionate aud at
tentive to each other, and she. while
of slight physique, was in excellent
health.
Mrs Blackburn. who is not i'll the
city, has been telegraphed for. Mis-.
Lanes elder sister, Corinne, is the wife
of Lieutenant-Co Colonel Hall, now at
Fort Worth Texas.