Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-12-28
STORY
Of Smythe is Very
Strange
SAYS He WAS SHOT
By a Blonde Woman While in
His Office.
MYSTERY IN the AFFAIR
And There is Something Particularly
Peculiar Back of Il.
And There is Something Particularly
Peculiar Back of II.
BY Associated Press.

| Dy ASSOSldbSu AOoo'
Indianapolis Ind. Dec. 27.-Wm.
| H. Smythe, Secretary of the Grand
Masonic Lodge of this state, was shot
in the head in his office shortly after
noon today. Mr.. Smythe claims that
a woman did the shooting. The po-
| lice so far have been unable to locate
! her.
1t is thought that he cannot live.
Lewis A. Coleman, an attorney, found
Mr.. Smythe shortly after he was shot.
He went to Smythe's Office in the Ma
sonic building shortly after noon to
transact some business and found
Smythe lying in pool of blood. When
the police arrived the wounded man
was in a semi-conscious condition, Dut
was able to utter a few words. lie
said he sat at his desk when blonde
woman entered his office and asked to
use the telephone. He said she was in
several times before that last call and
irritated him. so he refused her re-
quest. He claimed that after he refus-
ed she drew a revolver and fired. This
was all he would say. except that his
son would tell who did the shooting.
Shortly after the tragedy, DR.. Elmer
Smythe, the son referrd to. came in.
He said he did not know the woman
who did the shooting. The wound of
Smythe is directly behind the right
ear, and three pieces of the bullet have
been found and extracted. DR.. Joseph
E. Robb, whose Office is directly above
that of Smythe, said that Smythe told
him he had been annoved by blonde
woman who came into his Office sever
al times and asked to use the telephone
saying she wanted to telephone across
the street to the Lorraine hotel. where
she had a room. Smythe said he re-
fused to grant her request, and that
she left the room in a huff.
DR.. Elmer Smythe also said that his
father had been annoyed by a woman
who called and asked permission to
use the telephone. He said that his
father ordered her from the room gruf
fly. Soon after the shooting, Smythe
asked for his son Elmer. and requested
all to leave the room for few min
utes, which was done Later when
the police questioned young Smythe
about the affair he persisted in the
statement that he knew nothing of the
woman. Inquiry at the Lorraine devel
oped the fact that there was not nor
had been a woman connected with the
hotel who could have been the one who
did the shooting.
When search for the woman who
was said to have been the one who did
the shooting failed, the theory was ad-
vanced that Symthe had attemuted to
take his own life. His son said that
while his father was very despondent
at times. he was unwilling TO believe
that he attempted to take his own
life At the home of Smythe it is i'm
possible to find any clue to the woman
who he said did the shooting, The
members of the family say that they
know nothing in Smythe's life that
would lead to such a tragedy, and thai
he has never received any threatening
letters TO their knowledge.
Mr.. SmYthe was widely known in
Indiana. He came to this city % years
ago from Greencastle to take the po-
sition of Secretary of the Masonic
Grand Lodge o Indiana. a position
which he has filled to the present time.
He is one of the best known Masons in
the state and is greatly esteemed by all
who know him.