The sun., 1900-10-22
YOUNG WIFE At
POINT Of DEATH
FROM KNIFE WOUND
John Whitcraft Alleged to Have
Stabbed His Wife ON
Saturday Night.
THEY MET ON THE BRIDGE
Dark and Confronted Mrs. Whit
craft but Che Tried to Avoid
Him. He Followed Her
to Tenth and Spruce.

Mrs. Annie Whitcraft aged 20 years
is lying at the home o. ner father, John
Cadell who conducts grocery store at
Fourteenth street and Railroad avenue,
at the point of death as Il result of be-
ing stabbed under the heart on Saturday
evening at Tenth and Spruce streets. 1t
is alleged that the stabbing was done
by her husband, John Whitcraft.
Mrs. Whitcraft has not been living
with her husband for some time on ac-
count of his i'll treatment and engaged
board with Il lady at No. 1888 Davis
street.
Mrs. Whitcraft's relatives give the fol-
lowing version of the stabbing:
Mrs Whitcraft left her boarding house
on Saturday evening about 7.45 O'Clock
to come up town to do some shopping
not thinking of any danger. When she
came to Eleventh street bridge her hus-
band who had concealed himself in the
dark suddenly stepped out and said:
"Annie ! want to talk with you," but
she paid no attention to him and kept
on walking. So he repeated those words
again. This time she stopped and asked
him what he wanted.
He spoke few words but she sould
not understand what he said.
Mrs. Whitcraft then replied, II knew
you did not want anything you just want
to annoy me-" BY his time the couple
had reached Eleventh and Spruce streets
and Mrs. Wnitcraft turned up Spruce
intending to 80 to Tenth, when she got
into the centre of the square Whitcraft
came up to her again and murmered
something about their child being dead
and buried.
This time she replied ".John if you
don't go away and stop tormenting me
| will have Il warrant served on YOU"
She started again for Tenth street and
he followed her, when she reached the
alley of Franks grocery store ut Tenth
and Spruce streets, the husband came up
and struck her. she thought it was only
Il blow from his fist.
When she started to cross Tenth street
She commenced to feel pain near her
heart and looking down saw Il knife
sticking below her heart and pulled it
out. The blood from the wound began
to show on her dress.
At this CHASTITY sight she ran into Mrs.
Charles \. Collins trimming store OPP
posife Franks grocery store, and scream.
ed saying Il am stabbed and holding
the knife in her hama.
Mr.. Collins who was sitting IL the
store ut the time excl lined by wifom?''
she said 'by my husband" SO Mr..
Collins told his wife To 90 in the grocery
store and telephone for some doctor.
She telephoned for Drs. Spruance and
Paterson. When they arrived they ex-
amined the wound OH the woman and
found that the knife had penetrated the
flesh about two inches under the heart.
Matte Valentine of zoos Spruce street
who had witnessed the stabbing ran
home and told her mother. Mrs. Valen-
tine went to the trimming store and
identified Mrs. Whtcraft.
The doctors seeing that the woman
was in serious condition summoned
the Phoenix Ambulance and had her
removed to her fathers home.
y representative of The Sun called at
the house of Mr.. Cau>.i last evening and
inquired about the condition of his
daughter. They stated that she was not
out of danger as the doctors said to
leave no one in the room but the family.
Whitcraft, it is said hurried away
after the deed was committed.