Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-16
THE CHICAGO MYSTERY.
Millionaire Rufus Wright Dead as
the Result of His Wounds.
Before Death Wright Said He Alone
Was Responsible for the Wound,
and Exhonorated Mrs. Lottridge.
The Police Not Convinced of the
Truth of This Story.

The Police Not Convinced of the
Truth of This Story.
CHICAGO, April 15.-Rufus Wright,
the millionaire manufacturer OF rubber
tires, who was shot during scuff1e for
possession of revolver in the apart
ments of Mrs. Louisa Lottridge, at the
Leland hotel, died to-day, from the eff
fects of the wound. The body of the
millionaire is now at 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 sensational
case. A statement by the deceased to
Chief Detective Colleran that the shoot
ing was accidental. will, it is thought,
clear Mrs. Lottridge Of all responsible
ty. Wright died with words OF excul-
patton on his lips for the woman whose
j revolver was responsible for his death.
He persisted in saying that the woman
was not to blame for his condition
hand when it was discharged
Mr.. Wright's 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 friend who
had become entangled with the woman
when he received his death wound.
Although he admits he can offer no
evidence, Chief of Detectives Colleran
strongly believes that the weapon was
not in the hand of Wright when it was
discharged. 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. Captain Colleran says also
that Mrs. Lottridge said she could not
remember whether the weapon was in
her hand or in Wright's. He also cites
the fact that Wrights beard is not
singed, as it would have been If
weapon had been discharged close to
his head and his face is not marked
with powder. In fact, Captain Colleran
says there is nothing to show that he
held a revolver close to his face.
Mrs. Lottridge in statement at the
police station said:
81 cannot remember what led up to
the production of the revolver. l was
talking to Mr.. Wright when he asked
me to show him revolver of which
he had spoken previously. | refused
to do so, and we talked on other mat
tiers for a while / remember that fin
ally I went to my valise and took out
my weapon and when he saw it Mr..
Wright begged me to throw it away.
AS l remember. he tried to take the
weapon from my hand and we scuffled.
I stood up and he was sitting on the
couch. had hold of the weapon, when
yer from my grasp. He fell backward
and | followed him. / managed to get
hold of the butt of the weapon, he
holding to the guard. AS we struggled
the weapon was discharged, and bad
as | felt from the liquor | had drunk,
I could not help crying out in horror
when l saw he was wounded. He fell
back on the sofa and gaspec that he
was shot. / laughed Historically and
told him he was all right. He insisted
he had been wounded and begged me
to call doctor.
Il told him he was dreaming and
then set about caring for him. l took
handkerchief from his pocket and at
tempted to staunch the flow of blood
from his neck where the ball had emit
cred. / saw at glance that the revolt
yer had done deadly work, but / could
not bring myself to tell any one of the
occurrence. waited on Mr.. Wright
for two hours possibly, before I sum-
moned a doctor. / was so overcome
that | could not talk and may have
said things / ought not to have said,
but the pressure l was laboring under
was the cause for my actions. The
story that Mr.. Wright came TO my
room in the interest 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
concerned ourselves We had a pleas
ant conversation until the revolver
was introduced by chance and the
struggle followed which ended in his
DEATH
nrapTr nE NTyTHN