Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-16

Was Shot BY a Woman During q
Drinking Bout The In.
vestigation.
Chicago, April 16.-Death has added
another chapter to the mysterious
shooting of Rufus Wright, the bicycle
tire manufacturer. The venerable
business man and Inventor died sun
day in the room in the Leland hotel in
which he was shot. His primary ante
mortem statement was not changed in:
a single particular. His dying decla-s
ration was that he held the weapon
during the scuffle With the woman.
This does not agree with the opinion
held by the police officials in charge
of the case.
Mrs. Louisa Lottridge. the direct or
Indirect cause of the mans death, sat
silent and sullen in her cell In the Har-
srfson street station yesterday. She
seemed in a stupor. Her bleared eyes
and swollen checks bore mute but GER
tain evidence OF an overindulgence in
liquor. She heard the news of her
aged callers death with apparently
little concern. Her stupefied condition
admitted of nothing more.
AT the same time in the Wright
dwelling in Washington boulevard the
widow lay lowering between life and
death. For years confirmed invalid
she shock of her husbands sudden and
sensational taking Oft was more thar
her wea kened system could Withstand.
So precarious was her condition that
constant medical attendance was nee
essary.
Next door to the Wright homestead
gathered the rest of the immediate
relatives - two daughters and their.
husbands and children. The shock was
so severe that the daughters We're pros
rated. The manner of the fathers
death seemed more terrible than the
closing OF LIES career. Friends
called in consultation vouchsafed the,
Information that not a single member
sof the family was aware of Mr..
Nright's acquaintance With the woman
who says she knew him intimately for
eight years.
Mr. Wright was not removed from
the room where the shooting occurred
until the time of his death. His daugh-
tiers and sons-in-law We're with him to
the end His original statement was
not departed from, and this, 1t is calcu-
lated, will doubtless serve to acquitsthes
woman in the case. The wounded man
fingered from the early afternoon until
early morning. when it became evident
that there could be no hope for his re-
ScoNery.
Chicago. April l6.-Rufus Wright. a
millionaire, and treasurer of the firm
of Morgan & Wright, bicycle tire.
manufacturers. is lying at the point of
death in his room at the Leland hotel.
shot thru the neck by a bullet from
the revolver OF Mrs. Louisa Lottridge,s
Cured IN the apartments occupied by
the woman ard she and the victim de-
clare it was accidental. The police
We're not apprised Of the tragedy until
two hours after it had occurred, and
when Detective Sergeant Burns arr
rived at the hotel he found Mrs. Lott
ridge there. Heat once placed her
under arrest and shesi is being detained
at the Harrison street police station.
a friend who had spent several hours
with her previous to the shooting was
also arrested. She gives her name as
Mrs. Ida skoss.
Much mystery attaches to the shoot
ing. Both the victim and Mrs. Lott
ridge persist in saying it was acciden-
tai, while the police hold that from
the location of the wound there is
doubt as to the truth of the declara-
ton. Capt. Colloran, the chief OF de-
tectives, says the stories Of the two.
while they tally as regards the cause
of the shooting. differ in detail.
The story told by the woman is that
Wright, who had spent two hours in
the company Of Mrs. Lottridge. tried to
take a revolver from her which she had
taken from her satchel with view to
getting hisopinion on 1t. In the strug-
gle which followed for the possession of
the weapon 1t was discharged and the.
bullet lodged in the left side of
W.right's neck. The shot was not heard
by any one in the hotel and the first
known of the occurrence was when
Mrs. Lottridge called Hugh Willis. a
bell boy, and told him to notify Dr..
j. d. Hammond, the house physician
of the shooting The doctor hurried to
the room where the wounded man lay,
and while he worked over him Mrs.
Lottridgc stood by and watched the
efforts to save the life Of the wounded
man. Mrs. Lottridge was found in a
room next to that in which the wound
led man lay When the detectives ar
rived. She appeared to be under the in
| fuence OF wine ard made no6resistance
when Detective Burns told her she was
under arrest. She simply said the
shooting was accidental, and expressed
her Willingness to accompany the off,
GERS to jail. At the central police sta
| ton she positively refused to talk of
the shooting.
4 According to the statement OF Mana
| ger Dabb, of the hotel, orders for wine
were plentiful after the arrival of
Wrightf Several coolers. in which the
bottles were sent to the room, were
found by Detective Burns. The orders
Leased about O'clock. half an hour
before the bell boy was called to go
latter the surgeon.
When DIR. Hammond took the re-
volver with which the shooting was
done Mrs. Lottridge attempted to take
lit from him, and struck him several
i times in the face. The condition Of
Wright at midnight was critical, and
the physicians were unable to predict
1.-THE outcome. DR.. Hammond expressed
i ~ of he ,a,n,, rH