The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-29
SHOOTS WIFE AND SELF.
Charles butler, . Colored Citis~n Of
Tacoma. Attempts Murder and
Commits Suicide.

Special Dispatch 70 the post-Inteliigencer
TACOMA. Nov. &.-Charies Butler
colorsd man who has lived In Tacoma
for years. fatally shot his wife. Mrs An
ma Butler. at noon yesterday. and then
shot himself Butler died almost immedi-
ateiy Mrs Butler was removed to the
Fannie Paddock hospital AT 7 O'Clock
last evening the physicians reported she
was unconscious and would die before
midnight The shooting Is the cs,lmina-
ton OF domestic discord OF long stand
Ing, which had recently given rise TO d.
yorce proceedings on the part OF Mra But.
Ter.
She II daughter of John Gonna. the
weil-known eolored politician and real es-
tate man. and ut one time associated with
Allen G. Mason. Butler went about his
work with a premeditated GOODNESS that
In unusual He prepared q long type
written statement giving a history Of hts
fret acquaintance with his wife. their
ecurtship. marriage and the domestic In
fciicities that arose and constantly be-
came more aggravated. The statement
Of the dead man IL sinxuiariy fair and
free from bitterness. II IL very neatly
gotten up, and shows Butler To have been
educated. The shooting took place In
a Japanese lodging house at is2s c street
Butler and his wife had applied at the
house the preceding evening for room.
and were shown to a small apartment on
the upper noor. The couple spent the
night In the room. and from the empty
whisky bottles found. n IL evident they
both bad been drinking heavily. No one
was a witness 10 the tragedy, but the
woman either OWNED Buffers purpose or
else he made some motion which betrayed
hts intention. for a desperate struggle en-.
sued The woman's vitality IL astnnish-
ms. Butler sent twn bullets entirely
through her body both In close proximity
to the heart TAis not being SUFFICIENT
10 end her hfe. a hand-tc-hsnd struggle
began Butler tried 20 beat out her brains
with pieces - furniture. failing IN which,
he struck the woman with y lamp Tho
chimney was smashed into fragments, and
picking ap one Of these Butler franticaliv
tried 20 cut the veins ~ her arm. Finally
reca ping from his mnr3erous assaults the
woman baret oei % the room and nsx
Down one alght ~ stairs There her
strength failed her, and she sank 70 The
aaer. cosorea man named Williams
aha has rcarns On the same Hoor af the
house rs the reem occupied by the Bat
lers heard the terrific scufie and shoot.
ins No ran cat into the hallway IN
time - see Mrs Butler sytnx ioMn the
stairway. A. the sane instant Butler.
Nhs maas ne prcfense 70 purues his wffe
sent haiiet through hfs heart ana was
found dad IN haif-tistinz posture with
MS hsck against the sail % the rasr-,
Mrs butler ~ss carried Downstairs ant
saan after taksn 10 she hosrttai ThN
-aug1e teave Aahy boy u Was pstierss
iutrnstan Ia ssa thfs caia but hts plsrs
vifsrafri~d TNe reurie were married
quite young Fns tire past year Mrs
Butler Ms b~sn 81 Omaha. sAe oaiy ~
turnfax 50 rsceusa three S~<ks ego ma,
~ sas h~sn ersrfeyea a. an s;r~st
hafh hause ara exftrmcrs 90 q sA1~-
that irnpsettxteiv afssg the return ~ ~.
wtfs frwna thr gass ne e~x&- rtsnatrx
ne uuraer IN rs statement tAs tess
wan hiarnrs Ma mother. Mrs. rrfts xes-
Ne Ter mscs q his unAsrrlssss, secsar.
iar that hfr rseshar Aas esvsf N~er
sflsrfg - ever ea sgeAksng serrns sits
- wlfe
MRS Bausf stea Al II - s,naxht