Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-09-14
Il SAD IRAGEDY.

On last Sunday evening our city was
thrown into confusion and astouish
ment by the shooting of VIM. r. Foster
prominent young attorney, by Miss
Hattie Mash, who alleges that Mr.. Eos
ter betrayed her. The shooting occur
red in the restaurant at the northwest
corner of Second and Grand avenue.
The: girl claimed Foster has accomplish
ed her ruin under promise of marriage
and had Just refused to fulfill his
promise. She admits the crime was de-
liberate and says she intended to take
her own life Immediately upon killing
her alleged betrayer. Her purpos q
was not accomplished either as to Fos-
ter or herself. Fosters wound did not
prove fatal and he succeeded in dis.
arlning the girl before she could carry
out her design against her own life.
AS an indirect result of the shooting,
Mrs. NJ. A. Hayes and her daughter,
Mrs. K. j. Putnam. received injuries
which it was at first feared might
prove fatal. The two women were run
down by the wagon of Fire Chief Bur-
nett who was driving Sergeant Norris
of the police station at a furious gait
in an effort to overtake the fleeing wo-
man who had attempted Fosters life
The two women were in buggy. The
collision occurred at the corner of
Seventh and Grand avenue. The
women were thrown to the pavement
and picked up unconscious, covered
with blood from head to foot. Mrs.
Hayes head struck a street car rail
and it appeared at first her skull had
been fractured. The wound proved to
be nothing more serious than deep
confusion and both women soon rallied
under physicians care and are rapid
ly progressing toward recovery. Mrs.
Putnam is the wife of R. j. Putnam of
the Bankers Life association.
When foster was shot and succeeded
in wrestling the revolver from the g irl
after a fierce struggle in which one
finger was shot off he was laboring un-
der such great mental strain that he
did not realize that he was shot.
Mr.. Fosters condition is critical, He
is at Mercy hospital where the doctors
performed an operation last Sunday
night. No one is permitted to see him
and hear his story of the tragedy, so
we can only publish the girls story es
she related 1t to newspaper reporter
in the CELL
''Will and have been keeping comp
any close to three years now. He has
been going with me steadily for year
and a half and was the only girl he
waited upon during that time. We be.
came engaged year ago and finally
the first Of September was set as the
date of our marriage. Our relations
became intimate and as result | am
now in delicate condition.
The first intimation that had that
ne did not intend to keep his promise
and marry me was about three weeks
ago. 1t was then week from the
date we had agreed upon for our mar
riage. | have met him repeatedly
since, but never could persuade him to
change his determination. Friday
night was with him and he told me
he would rather go to the penitentiary
Than marry me and said he was going
TO leave Des Moines and go to some
other town to live.
'No we did not quarrel any last
night. The worst trouble we had was
Friday night. l bought the revolver
IN Thursday and made up my mind to
shoot him. suppose the only reason
didn't shoot him Friday or Saturday
vas because l couldn't get my heart
up to the point where could do it.
But I made up my mind to shoot
aim Sunday night and did it. That's
Ill there is to it,
LArER-Wm. R. Foster died at Mercy
Hospital at 3 o'clock and will be burri-
a in the city as soon as his sisters ar
i've from Missouri. We will say more
n next issue.