The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-16
MILLIONAIRE WRIGHT DEAD.
CALLED SHOOTING BY MRS. LOTT
RIDGE AN ACCIDENT.

With That as His Dying Statement
the COroner's Investigation VIII
Probably Mark the Close of This
Sensational Case-Mrs. Lottridge
Makes Statement In which She
Denies Wright Came TO See Her in
the Interest of a Friend.
Chicago. April 15.-Rufus Wright, the
millionaire manufacturer of rubber tires
shot during a scuffle for possession of a
revolver in the apartments of Mrs. Louisa
Lottridge, at the Leland Hotel, died to-day
from the effects of the wound.
The body of the millionaire is now al the
undertaking rooms, where an inquest will
be held tomorrow.
1t is the opinion of the police that the
coroner's investigation will mark the close
of the sensa tional case A statement by
the deceased to Chief of Detectives Collie
ran that the shooting was accidental will,
it is thought, clear Mrs. Lottridge of all
responsibility. Wright died with words of
exculpation on his lips for the woman
whose revolver was responsible for his
death He persisted in saying that the
woman was not to blame for his condition
and that he had the revolver in his hand
| Wnen IL was discharged.
In the Interest of Friend.
| Mr.. Wrights son-in-law and partner
| Fred Morgan, was at his side at death.
| Mr.. Morgan held that his father-in-law
was on an errand to help a friend who
had become entangled with the woman
| when he received his death wound.
| Although he admits he can offer no evi-
| dence, Chief of Detective Colleran strong
| ly believes that the weapon was not in
| the hands of Wright when it was dis
| charged A careful examination of the
| position of the wound, he says, will show
that it would be impossible for Wright
| to have held the weapon in his hand.
| Capt. Colleran says also that Mrs. Lot
| fridge said she could not remember
whether the weapon was in her hand or
| in Wrights.
Mrs. LOttridge's story.
J Mrs. Lottridge in statement made to
| the police, said:
"I cannot remember what led up TO the
| production of the revolver, / was talking
| to Mr.. Wright when he asked me to show
| him a revolver of which he had spoken
| previously. I refused to do So and we
/ talked on other mattess for a while. I re-
| member that, finally, 1 went to my valise
| and took out my weapon and when he
| saw il Mr. Wright begged me to throw it
| away. AS I remember he tried to take
the weapon from my hand and we scuf-
fed 1 stood up and he was sitting on the
couch. I had hold of the weapon, when,
| with a sudden effort, he tore the revolver
from my grasp He fell backward and ]
followed him. l managed to get hold OF
the butt of the weapon, he holding the
guard. AS we struggled the weapon was
discharged, and bad as l felt from the
liquor l had drunk, 1 could not help cry
ing out in horror when l saw he was
wounded. He fell back on the sofa, and
gasped that he was shot. 1 laughed hys-
terically and told him he was all right
He insisted he had been wounded, and beg
ged me to call a doctor.
Said She Was Overcome.
'T told him he was dreaming, and then
set about caring for him. l took hand
kerchief from his pocket and attempted
to stanch the flow of blood from his neck
where the ball had entered 1 saw
at a glance that the revolver had done
deadly work, but l could not bring my
self TO tell anyone of the occurrence. !
waited on Mr.. Wright for two hours pos
sby, before l summoned a doctor. 1 was
so overcome that I could not talk, and
may have said things 1 ought not to
have said, but the pressure I was laboring
under was the cause for my actions
The story that Mr.. Wright came a.
my room in the interests OF 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
together and talked of matters which con-
cerned ourselves. We had a pleasant
conversation until the revolver was in
troduced by chance, and the struggle
which ended in his death"