The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-26
A SENSATIONAL SHOOTING
a Man Crazed With Liquor Fires at
Close Range Into a Theatrical Party

New York. March PA highly sensa-
tlonal shooting ooh place early this
morning in the rathskeIler of the Pabst
hotel. corner Of Broadway and Forty
second street. Robert Haden Moulton.
a young ex.student of architecture and
more recently a man about town, want
ed Dy the police for the passing OF
bogus checks. was the a~ssailant. a
young woman. now playing in the meIo-
drama. The Price of Peace" at the
Broadway theatre was the target at
which he shot, and Alexander w. Ding
wall manager OF that theatre. was the
victim. His wound is not a dangerous
one.
The accounts of the affair vary to a
considerable degree. The most ac-
credited version was that Miss May
with Mr.. Dingwall, John d.
and Miss Buckley's aunt
were sitting in a booth, known to the
f~requenters of the cellar as the off
GERS quarters" when Moulton who had
been drinking or partaking of NOR
prime or both appeared before them
n began to abuse -he party and TO
use profane language, his insults being
directed largely toward the actress. His
words We're resented and he Whippei
out a 32-calibre revolver and began TO
discharge it. He fired five shots in all.
only four OF which took effect in any
quarter. Only one did any damage, the
shot which pierced Mr.. DingwalTs
back.
The cellar was in an uproar in a mo-
ment. Guests n walters ran toward
Moulton; women screamed and the
manager and detective of the hotel soon
oVerpowered the Infatuated man. OF
the five shots fired by MouIton. the
hrst penetrated the sleeve OF Mr.. Lef-
f!ngwelPs coat. Just grazing his left
forearm. The skin was not broken.
The second shot passed along the front
OF Mr.. DingwalPs vest, cutting the
cloth for an inch or TWO. The third
shot struck Dingwall in the feshy parl
or the back. on the left side, as he
rose from his chair. The fourth shot
, passed through Miss Buckley's dress,
being changed from its intended course
by a blow from Mr.. Leffingwell in an
effort to knock the revolver out of the
would-be assassin's ut The last
shot went wild.
The motive for the shooting is not
very clear. 1t was believed at first that
Moulton was suffering from a bad case
of i~nfatuation and jealousy, either for
Miss Buckley or for Miss Minnie Selig-
man. of the same company, and that
| he mlstook Miss Buckley for Miss
| Seligman when he saw her in the rath-
skeller. subsequently when the testi-
mony of numerous witnesses could De
| secured it became apparent that Moui-
ton was suffering SO badly from drugs
| or alcoholic stimulation or both that
he had no fixed idea in firing the shots.
On Thursday night Moulton occupied
a box at the Broadway threatre, pur-
chasing six tickets, only one of which
he used. His actions at he threatre
attracted attention both In the audi
ence n On the stage.
After leaving the theatre, Moulton
was seen to take a number of drinks in
nearby saloons. When he was arrest
ed a bottle partly filled with half grain
sulphate of morphine tablets and a
bottle nearly full of a liquid solution
, of morphine were found in his pocket.
After Moulton had been locked up
Detective Traynor said he had been
looking for him since February Sth.
On that date. he said. Moulton called
upon DR.. James e. Newcomb. of this
city, and had him cash a check fol
$50. DR.. Newcomb. Detective TraynoI
said, has received a number of letters
from Chicago, Sing Sing. Elmira, Bos.
ton and Buffalo. saying that Moulto-
had engaged in swindling operations IT
the cities named where he had secured
sums ranging from $50 to $175. The
detective said he would arrest MouItor
on these charges if he should free him
self of his present rouble. 1t is claim,
ed by the police that Moulton has sup
ported himself for the past two years
by swindling.
Nashville, Tenn. March 22.-Robert
NJ. Moulton is the youngest son of the
late Frank Moulton. at one time a wei
| known grain healer in this city. MOul.
ton was porn IN this city and resided
here until about ten years ago. wher
his father moved to Memphis where he
died Robert is about "a years Of age
and has been at Columbia college sew
eral years, pursuing the study of archi-
lecture. His mother and other rela'
tives reside at Springfield. Tenn. A
brother lives in this city.