Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-01-11
MOT WOMAN AND HIMSELF
iOrrid Crime Of Charles W. Plckel,
Committed Yesterday.
THE WOMAN FATALLY WOUNDED
PIckel Fell Dead With a Bullet
In His Brain.
He WAS INFATUATED WITH His VICTIM

M wan tne pioUu streaming from
wound in her head, Mrs. John3J
iraham ran from her residence. No. 104
East Thirteenth street, yeste day,
to the drug store at the corner of Thir
teenth and King, and wringing her
hands, exclaimed: "Where is DIR. Nor
|eanf Where is DR.. Morgan? I am
&5dyiug. A few moments later Charles
Nv. Piokel fell to the floor in the
Isitting room Of the Graham residence
and died of self.inhicted bullet wound
IN the temple. Pickel had first shot the
woman three times and then killed
himself. Mrs. Graham was taken back
n to her house, where she Is under the
care OF DR.. Morgan. The physician
N say s her chances Of recovery are possibly
one In ten. HN'7i
4 Pickel was son OF David Pickel of
N No. 1916 West Fourth street and was
about 30 years old. He was painter
n by trade and had been employed by
William 2. Linton. Before Christmas
\ he was busy, but since Christmas he
d mas not had much to do. He used to
q be a drinking man, but shortly after
he wept to board at Graham's, which
Y was about September, he took the
a pledge before u magistrate, and is be-
& lieyed to have kept it.
The woman IS Lizzie A. Graham,
* wife of John J. Graham, clerk in the
q freight Office of the Philadelphia, Will
n minRton IL Baltimore railroad. Mr..
" Graham is the son Of Joseph Graham
MOI No. 1904 Market street. The woman's
maiden name was Shields and she is
v said to be cousin Of A. s. L. Shields, /,
n the well-known Philadelrhia attorney.
a Her first husband was also named
&6hields, by whom she had her two
children, Marie, about 8, and George,
&nbout 5 years old. Mr. Shields died BY
v accident. Mrs. Shields and Mr.. Graham 4
were married about three years ago.
NJ About 8 o'clock yes erday Piokel
kwas observed to be at work in the yard
|Nof the Graham house handling an ash
barrel. Mrs. Graham told neighbor
|kthat she was cleaning up the sitting
$room and expected to go out In the
*aftornoon.
~ 1t was possibly 8. 30 O'Clock when the
#shooting occurred. The only witnesses
&to it were Piclel and Mrs. Graham the
oman is dead; here is the woman's
&statement, made under oath to Mapis-
trate Lewis Sasse. III.
N Have you been hurt2'' was asked.
"a "Yes, seriously" answered the
NwOman.
N 'tBy whomP''
M by lnarle5 Rlokel. rIs5
Where did it hapIen9"
"a In the sitting room of my home.
1&No. l04 East Thirteenth street, Will
{anineton. ~"
What did he do to you?''
"a He asked me some questions. III
answered no, and the next thing /
knew he put up revolver. +"
N What did he do?'' rtF
& He fired one shot, hitting me in the
Mace. raised my hand to get the
feyolver and he fred another shot,
5hitting me under the arm.s
~ Then what happeneds'' e~R
Y :! said, for Gods sake, Charlie,
lon't kill me. !" ~
''Then what did be do?''
M He said something about loving
pc. screamed and started out of the
Foor. He then shot again, striking me
1tn my left elbow.''
Do you think from the effects and
Yause OF these wounds. you will dieg''
II think will.''
S The foregoing deposition was taken
tne presence or the magistrate and |
II; Morgan and signed by the woman
Va ith her mark.
Il After receiving the third wound. the
Woman rushed from the house and ran
${2 the next door neighbours, James II, |
hite's, but no one was home. Then |
'1sQe went to the drug store, a total |
4}stance OF about 30 yards. She called |
T Or Morgan and threw her arms
t4pout him. Some of the blood fran
Nc wound in her face scattering his |
2alpthipg. He had her take chair, and |
me- was afterwards removed to her |
Hnme by him and by Police Captain
&inck and Officer Ward. These and |
2finer Floyd and State Detective |
23cxey had charge Of the case.
When the officers arrived at the !
Faham house, they found Piclel lying |
s{Hp the floor OF the sitting room, his
TNnad In thetopen hearth of the stove. |
sthe blood from wound in his riebt |
@inple mingling with the ashes. He |
us dead. Beside him was five
pamber w calibre revolver with four
pambeis empty. The fifth cartridge |
X4Pd missed fire. Whether Picket had |
med 1t at the woman or himself is |
pt known. lie had shot himself after |
attempting 10 kill the woman.
M Coroner A. ID. Vandever and his |
1#sputy, Ferris Giles, were apprised Of
ne tragedy and took charge OF the body |
Pickel, which was removed to the |
orgue.
Meanwhile Mr.. Graham had been |
~ ior, anu ne was sadly troubled /
pon learning what had happened, In |
kipg about the case, he thought a |
4ssjble explanation of the shooting |
that Pickel became very angry and |
3Mt his temper. He had known Of his |
ing in an angry state before. 1t is
HHo stated that Pickel had talked 10 |
SIS Graham in manner to convey a |
eat, telling her that she had lot |
Tpn her. He had talked in this vein |
longer ago than Tue day, but this |
Ftefday was apparene.y very pleasant
len seen by a neighbor.
ne cause OF the quarrel between him
Mrs. Graham few minutes later, |
- due, it is believed, to his n aking
, improper proposal to her, to which |
Ne did not acquiesce. IN |
Fatber FBDlon, Mrs. Graham's pastor.
= ss q visitor to the injured woman.
& er two children were at ST. Patrick's
hrochial school at the time of the |
A. hooting. and after school they went TO |
Heir. grandparents, No. 1904 Market
'hHtreet. The news of the trouble was
5ikept from them for some time. "
Mrs. Graham's condition is critical
pr. Morgan thinks that If the woman
Pan be kept perfectly quiet to allow the |
n logging of the blood from the wound |
. her side, the hemorrhape NAV he |
fhecked and her life saved. The bullet
hioh struck her in the left cheek
None lodged near the base of the brain,