Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-15
.SHOOTSAT THEMBOTH
James Hughes Fires Upon His f.
ring Wife and Her Companion
HIS HAPPY HOME BROKEN UP
With Convincing Proof Of Guilt, 10
EndeaYOrS 10 Kill Them.
THEIR INJURIES NOT SERIOUS
Woman Slightly Wounded in tho
Face, and Fat. Dempsey at Work ~
Though Nothing Had Bappencd--
Prisoner Tells n Pathetic story. 7
THEIR INJURIES NOT SERIOUS
woman slightly wounded in tho

james Il. Hughes, well-known Hen.
rico man and sectionmaster for the Chess
apeake and Ohio Railway Company at
Eiko' fired upon his wife. Viola Hughes.
ana Patrick Dempsey. whom he charges
With undue intimacy. Sunday afternoon.
With double-barrel breech-loador. and
Is now a prisoner in tho county iail.
charged with shooting the erring wifa
and her companion with intent to Kill.
inc shooting occurred Sunday between
l and o'clock. something like a miIa
west of Elko; three shots were fired. and
that Mrs. Hughes and Dempsey were NOT
Killed Is due to the fact that the gun
was charged with No birdshot and
was fired at rather long range.
Although deliberate aim was taken.
ana the angry husband, whose happv
home had been broken up, shot 20 XIII.
very little damage was done. He had no
Idea when he surrendered MIN yesterday
nearly twenty-four hours after tho
tragedy-how serious the effects of his,
craftsmanship had been. but a Dispatct,
representative, who spent two hours ar
Elko yesterday afternoon. learned that
Mrs. Hughes only received slight wounds
In the face, while Dempsey was reported
to have been at work as usual. and If
he was injured at all there was nothing
to indicate it.
The episode Of Sunday and the circum.
stances that led up to Il have caused a
profound sensation I'm the county Hughes
and his wife both belong to highly-re-
spected families and have relatives and
friends in Richmond as we'll as Henrico.
The case will come up to-day al noon.
when it Is expected an effort will ba
made to secure bail. and there may DO
some highly-interesting Developments.
/ The county authorities rather think there
Will be.
WHO THE PEOPLE ARE.
The Elko tragedy partalSes of added IN
terest because or the TACT that all OF
those affected by II are widely known
IN the community in which IL occurre,l.
Especially is this true OF the prisoner
and his wife and their respective families.
james b. Hughes, the once happy hus-
band. whose ardent love for his wife
has been. by recent events transformed
into intense hatred, Is we'll spoken Of by
all who know him. lie IL son ot Mr..
James Hughes, a wel-knOwn Henrico
farmer, who formerly represented Varina
District on the Board Of Supervisors. Ito
was "a member OF the board when tho
jail In which his son is now a prisoner
was built lie and his wife, now adj
vanced IN years, reside only a few miles
| from ElkO. The prisoner r. section
master for the Chesapeake and ohio
! Railway Company with which he has
been connected ever since the Peninsula
Division was built. He is n hard work.
/ Ing, sober man. and is mighty regarded
| by his neighbOrs with the railroad
peop.e he Is quite popular ana they place
implicit confidence in him. lie has the
reputation of being devoted. kind. and
indulgent husband and father. and r. SAID
10 have always provided most ahun-
dainty for his family.
! Mrs. Hughes IS daughter Of Mrs.
| Lucinda HobsOn, "a widow, who also re-
| sides not far from Elko, and has sevo-
/ raj brothers and sisters. The family iJ
one OF eminent respcctability. with many
! connections In this city Mrs. Hughes
| Is about 90 years old, while her husband
| is some ten years her senior. They were
married In their home neighborhood
! twelve years ago and have four bright
I
! old.
Patrick Dempsey. upon whose life
! Hughes admits having made "A deter
/ mined attempt. Is from M.llboro'. Hs
Is a bricknasOn ard works for thu
| Chesapeake and Ohio. For some months
| he has been working IN tho vicinity Of
| Elko. lie Is unmarried and said TO la
about 50 years old.
WAS KEPT VERY QUIET.
There appear 10 have been no witnesses
! 20 the shooting. and Il was kept very
quiet Nothing was known Of it in this
city until Hughes. came TO the county
courthouse and surrendered himself.
Even then the tidlngs did not spread
rapidly. and the same seems 10 have been
the case IN the EikO section.
In surrendering himself Mr.. Hughes
| followed the advice Of his brother and OF
! close friends Had Ne known the shoot
ing was not more serious. and that ho
would have 10 remain IN prison. he would
probably not have given himself up until
time for the preliminary examination 10
be held. or for a motion FOR bail 10 ba
submitted. As II was, he came TO the
city on the morning train over the Chesa-