Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-23
DOPE F|END WITH STRONG
HOM|C|DAL INCLINATION
GREAT TURMOIL IN THE
PABST RATHSKELLER.
GooG0oED A PRETTY ACTRESS
FROM A BOX, THEN FOLLOWED HER
AND HER FRIENDS TO THE
RESTAURANT.

NEW YORK, March pa highly
sensational shooting took place early
this morning in the rathskellar of the
Pabst hotel, corner Broadway and For
ty-second street Robert Haden Moul-
ton, a young ex-student of architec-
turs, and more recently a man about
town, wanted by the police for pass
ing of bogus check, was the assailant,
a young woman now playing in the
melodrama, "The Price of Peace" at
the Broadway Theatre, was the target
at which he shot, and Alexander w.
Dingwall, manager of that theatre, was
the victim. Dingwall is now in the
Roosevelt hospital with a bullet in his
back. His wound Is not dangerous.
The accounts of the affair vary to a
considerable degree. The most accred-
tied version was that Miss May Buck
ley, with Mr.. Dingwall, John D. Letting
well and Miss Buckley's aunt, were sit
ting in a booth, known to the frequent
ers of the cellar as the Officers Quar-
ters," when Moulton, who had been
drinking or partaking of morphine or
both, appeared before them and began
to abuse the party and to use profane
language, his insults being directed
largely toward the actress. His words
were resented and he whipped out a
80 calibre revolver and began to dis
charge 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.. Dingwalls
back.
The cellar was in an uproar in a
moment. Guests and walters ran to-
ward Moulton, women screamed. and
the manager and detective of the hotel
soon overpowered the Infatuated a
Of the five shots fired by Moulton, the
first penetrated the sleeve of Mr.. LET
fringwelPs coat, just grazing his left
forearm. The skin was not broken.
The second shot passed along the front
OF Mr.. Dingwall's vest, cutting the
cloth for an inch or two. The third
shot struck Dingwell in the aeshy part
of the back, on the left side, as he
rose from his chair. The fourth shot
passed through Miss Buckley's dress,
being DETECTED from it's curse by a
blow from Mr.. Leffingwell in an effort
to knock the revolver from the would
be assassin's hand. The last shot
went wild.
The motive of the shooting is not
very clear. 1t was believed at first that
Moulton was suffering from a bad cas-
of i~nfatuation and jealousy, either for
Miss Buckley or Miss Minnie Seligman
of the same company, and that he mis-
took Miss Buckley for Miss Seligman
when he saw her in the Rathskeller.
Subsequently, when the testimony Of
numerous witnesses could be secured, 1t
became apparent that Moulton was suf-
fering 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 theatre, pur-
chasing six tickets, only one of which
he used. His actions at the theatre
attracted attention both in the aud
fence and among those on the stage.
After leaving the theater, Moulton
was seen to take a number of drinks
in nearby saloons. When he was ar
rested a bottle partly filled with half
grain sulphate of morphine tablets and
a bottle nearly full of a liquid solution
morphine were found in his pockets.
While waiting to be arraigned in the
West Side court, he stated that he had
partaken freely of these drugs and
gave this as an Reuse for his conduct.
Moulton said that his home was in
Tenn, and that he had
been for three years a student of ar
special, at Columbia College.
He said that he remembered going to
the theater, but recalled nothing after
the curtain rose on the second act. He
denied knowing Miss Seligman. He
was held in $4,000 bail, and his ex-
was set for Monday. Ding
walls friends, who saw him at the
hospital tonight, said his condition
was not serious and that he would be
out in a few days.
After Moulton had been locked
up, Detective Thaynor said that