The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-19
SHOT IN HIS HOME
THOMAS A. HOULIHAN WOUNDED
BY JOHN f. WHEATON.
RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT MAY
PROVE A FATAL MEETING.

Woman Defends Action of Young
Insurance Agent who Dangerous
~ Wounded Her HusbaEd-Whea-
ton Claims He Fired in SeIf-De-
Tense, and Mrs. HOuiih5n Says He
Was Right-WOunded Man Gives a
Different Version of the Affair.
Shooting Occurred at Mail Car
rier's Home ON Habersham Street,
and Bullet Entered Right Shout
der-The wounded Man at Infirm-
airy and wheaton at station House.
Thomas A. Houlihan, a mail carrier,
living at No. 127 Habersham street,
was shot in the right shoulder at his
home yesterday by John f. Wheaton,
employed in the insurance office of Ju-
liam Schley & Wheaton. Wheaton was
arrested by Bicycle officer Christie
and is held at the police station on a
charge of assault with intent to muir
der. Houlihan is at st. Josephs In
Urinary, where he was taken shortly
after the shooting. He was reported
as resting quietly last night, and if no
complications set in he will recover.
Wheaton was unable to furnish bail,
but expects to arrange for his release
to-day.
Young Wheaton rented a room from
Houlihan and his wife, and the shoot
ing occurred on the third floor of the
house where both parties lived. The
prisoner claims that Houlihan was adj
vancing upon him with an appraised
bed-slat, and that to save himself he
fired. The bullet entered the shoulder
from behind. Wheaton claims that he
was forced to fire, and that he believed
his life in danger when he shot.
The wounded man makes an entirely
different statement of the affair, and
claims that there was no cause for
the shooting. He has been in ill health,
and for several days was at home. He
had just taken a mustard bath and
sent negro boy to Wheatons room
for quilt. Houlihan alleges that the
boy returned with the information that
the door was locked, and that he could
not get in. Houlihan suspected some
thing and told the boy to go down
stairs and get an ak and he would
break the door open. The boy left the
room and Houlihan says he followed a
minute later. In the hallway he met
Wheaton who Immediately fired, and
left the house. Houlihan denies that
ne was about to commit an assault.
Mrs. Houlihan did not appear to be
very much interested in what had han
pened to her husband, but was much
exercised about the condition of Whea-
ton. She declared that Johnny had
neen forced to save his life, and that
her husband was about to do him bodi-
~ harm, and had sent for an ak for
that purpose. She visited Wheaton
at the station house very shortly after
MS arrest, and before her husband had
peen taken to the infirmary. Negroes
IN the house stated that the trouble
mat eliminated in the shooting began
Sunday morning. Mrs Houlihan said
that this was true, and that her hus-
band had assaulted her and forced her
TO sleep on the back steps the night
before. She declared that he had been
drinking, and had been cruel to her,
ana that Wheaton could have acted
in no other manner
AS soon as the shooting was reported
at police headquarters Detective Stark
anu OIlcer Chrlsty left for the house.
IL was learned that Wheaton had gone
towards the Bay and Christy went
down Drayton street, while the detec-
tive took Abercorn street. Wheaton
went Immediately to a restaurant on
Drayton street. where he knew he
could find his brother. He turned the
weapon over to him and offered no re-
slstance when the bicycle patrolman
arrived. The detective put in an APP
pearance a moment later and the .pris-
oner was walked to the station house.
DIR. George M. Norton was in the
neighborhood at the time of the shoot
ing, and was summoned and dressed
the mail carriers wound. The doctor
decided that he could secure better
treatment at hospital and had him
sent to the Infirmary in the police am
bulance. DR.. Norton considers the
wound a dangerous one, but expresses
the belief that Houlfhan will recover
unless cOmnlica tiOne set in