New-York tribune., 1901-05-25
KILLED WOMANAND HIMSELF
WILLIAM WOODHULL, OF LAUREL, LONG
ISLAND, SHOOTS MARTHA
WILLIAMSON.

Riverhead Long Island, May 24-William Wood
hull. a farmer living at Laurel, village seven
miles from here killed Martha Williamson. a
neghbor last night and then committed suicide.
Woodhulrs mind is believed TO have been unbal-
anced He had been engaged 10 Miss Delsie New
ton, OF Sayvile. but the engagement was broken
of some time ago
Miss Williamson and her brother. James William
son, attended a meeting of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union last evening. They returned
after IL o'clock. On arriving home the
brother helped his sister aght and then drove
around to the barn, in the of the house The
Williamson home is directly opposite the house In
which Woodruff lived. AS Miss Williamson walked
toward the door Woodruff leaped from behind
place of concealment and fired at her with re-
volver. The brother heard the report, and
from the barn TO the front of the house, where he
found his sister lying dead across flower bed.
AS soon as he had fired the shot Woodruff rushed
across the road his home. went 70 his
bedroom. lay down the bed and then fired
bullet into his BRAIN
The bullet from Woodhulls revolver had entered
Miss WfIliamsons head the left eye, and
caused instant death. After the brother with the
assistance of neighbors. had carried the body into
the house, a doctor for, who said the
woman must have died instantly, the bullet had
penetrated the BRAIN Some of the neighbors
guarded the Woodruff house. Williamson
pected that young Woodruff the slayer of his
sister.
Woodruff lived with his father Gopher NJ. Wood
hull. a respected citizen Of Laurel. When Justice
Pike and Constable Chapman arrived from Matti-
tuck. they knocked at the door. and 1t was opened
by the elder Woodruff He had not heard the re-
port of the shot that ended his sons life, and he
astonished when who his visitors were.
He admitted the to the house. and all went
TO the sons room. TheCe lie found stretched
on the bed with q revoked clutched IN his right
hand. He had p;.t the revolver 10 his temple and
sent 2 bullet into his head.
Dir. Atwood. the statt.H agent Of tire long Island
ltai'C&G at Laurel .atG that there had heeu a good
deaI Cf tals abOrt the bf-HkiuG on OF engage
Iaeni- blIt nc dld know THAI Miss Williamson
IaG rAtced aSout the mater than Others He
haG heard hcweteT, thai mere had been some had
son, but he did not know the nature OF the
trouble woodruff, he said, steady and
spectacle young man, and was well liked in the
village. Mr.. Atwood said that Miss Williamson
and her brother also stood well IN the community
Although II was generally known that Woodruff
had made threats against Miss williamson, neither
as no one believed he would carry them out. Wood
hull was twenty-five years old. Miss Williamson
David Williamson and sister of Mrs. F. ].
Phelps Of Jamaica. She kept house for her brother
in Laurel
a double inquest held over the two bodies
this morning by Coroner Miles. of Greenport The
verdict that Martha Williamson came to her
death by a pistol shot fired by William Woodruff
and that Woodhulls death self-inficted.
Miss Delsie Newton Of Sayyile. one time
engaged TO William Woodruff. Miss Newton IS the
daughter Of Henry Newton, builder OF this place
She is twenty years of age. When she told to-
Gay OF the crime OF her former fanCe she was not
greatly surprised. In fact she said the reason for
her breaking off her engagement with Woodhu
that he acted in such a peculiar way at times
that she became afraid of him. Since she had dis
missed him he had written number Of strange let
the letters contained, but she said they seemed TO
be the emanation Of disordered mind.