The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-16
MILLIONAIRE WRIGHT DEAD.
RUBBER TIRE MANUFACTURER
EXPIRES FROM PISTOL WOUND.
Died ExcuipatinG the Woman In
Whose Rooms the Tragedy Oc-
CURED, and Who Also Makes

CHICAGO. April 15.-Rufus Wright .he
n-iioHairs manufacturer OF rubber tires.
VINO was shot during scuffle for posses.
SION OF a revolver in the apartments Of
Mrs. Louisa LattridEe at the Leland hotel,
died today from the effects OF the wocnd
Fhe body Of the millionaire is at an TN
dertaking room. where an inquest VIII be
held tomorrow
Il Is the opinion OF the police that the
coroners Investigation will mark the close
OF the sensational case. statement nv
the deceased to Chief OF Detectives Golfer
an, that the shooting was accidental. will.
II is thought. clear Mrs Lottridse II all
responsibility. Wright died with words or
exculpation on his lbs for the woman
whose revolver was responsible for HIS
death. He persisted In saying that he had
the revolver I'm his hand when Il was
discharged.
Although ne admits he can offer no Ell.
dence Chief Of Detectives Colieran strong
ly believes that the weapon was nor in
the hands OF Wright when II was dis
charged. Capt Collersn says that Mrs.
Lottridge said she could not remember
whether the weapon was IN her hand or in
Wrishts. He also cites the fact that
Wrisht's beard IL not singed as IL would
have been II the weapon had been dis
charged close TO his head and his face il
not marked with powder. Capt. Colleran
says there Ia nothing to show that he held
revolver very close to his face.
Mrs Lottridge, in statement made at
the police station, said: Il cannot re-
member what led up to the production OF
the revolver. / was talking TO MIR. Wrtg C.
when he asked me TO show him a revolver
OF which he had spoken previously. | re-
fused to do so, and we talked on other
matters for a while. I remember that
finally | went to my valise and took out
my weapon, and when he saw 1t Mr.
rS-H& IA
| remember, he tried 10 take the weapon
from my hand and We sctsffed I stood
up and he was sitting on the couch. had
hold OF the weapon. when with a sudden
effort he tore the revolver from my grasp.
He fell backward and followed him. I
managed to get hold OF the butt of the
weapon, he holding 10 the guard As We
struggled the weapon was discharged,
and, bad as I felt from the liquor | had
drunk. / could not help crying out IN
horror when | saw he was wounded He
fell back on the sofa and gasped that he
was shot. laughed Historically and told
him he was all right. He insisted he had
been wounded. and begged me to can a
doctor
II told him he was dreaming and then
set about caring for him, took n hand
kerchief from his pocket and attempted
to stanch the flow of blood from his
neck. where the ball had entered I saw
at a glance that the revolver had done
deadly work. but | con1 not bring my
self to tell any one Of the occurrence.
waited on Mr. Wright for two hours
possibly, before I summoned a doc tor I
vas so overcome that / could not talk
and may have said things | ought not To
have sad, but the pressure I was labor
ing under was the excuse for my actions
The story that Mr.. Wright came To my
room in the interest OF a friend is false
He came to see me at my request. He
had known me long enough to come at
my least call He was in good spirits
when he entered the room. We drank
AMI talked of matters which concerned
ourselves. We had a pleasant conversa-
ton until the revolver was introduced by
chance and the struggle which ended in
his death"
Mrs. Lottridge's Career.
BUFFALO. n. Y, April i5-Mrs. Louisa
Lottridge rs well known In Buffalo. She
was born in Fort Erie, Ontario Just over
the Niagara river from this city Her
maiden name was Bacus She married
about twenty years ago, and for a time
lived at Black Rock. a suburb OF Buffalo
Her husband was railroad man. but lit
tie Is remembered concerning him and
nothing is known az the divorce said to
have been granted. She is said 10 take
great interest In horseracing Her sister
Mrs William Dunn. resides at Fort Erie
and the family has aIuaNz harra an