The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-03-26
SHOOTS UP FASHIONABLE NEW
YORK RESORT.
DOES But LITTLE HARM
Slightly Wounds Theatrical Man
ager and Perforates Clothing
Of Several Persons.

New York, March ga highly
sensational shooting took place early
today in the Rathskellar Of the Pabst
hotel, corner Of Broadway and Forty
second street. ..
Robert Hayden Moulton, a young
ex-student of architecture and more
recently a man-about-town, wanted by |
the police for the passing of bogus
checks, was the assailant, a young
woman, now playing III the melo-
drama, "The Prince of Peace at the
Broadway theatre, was the target at
which he shot, and Alexander w.
Dingwall, manager of the theatre and
general manager for Jacob Iitr, was
the victim. Dingwall is now in the
Roosevelt hospital with a bullet in his
back. His wound is not dangerous.
Accounts OF the affair vary to a con-
siderable degree. The most accredited
version was that May Buckley with
Dingwall, John D. I,effingwell and
Miss Buckley's aunt, were sitting in
the booth known to frequenters of the
cellar as the "officer's quarters, when
Moulton, who had been drinking or
partaking of morphine, or both, APP
peared before them and had begun to
abuse the party and use p~rofane Ian
guage, his insults being directed larg-
ely towards the actress. His words
were resented and he whipped out a
4O-calibre revolver and began to dis
charge it. He fred five shots III all,
only four of them took effect in any
quarter. Only one did any damage,
the shot which pierced Dingwall's
back.
The cellar was in an uproar in a
moment. Guests and walters ran to-
ward Moulton, women screamed and
the manager and Il detective of the
hotel overpowered the Infatuated
man.
OF the five shots fired by Moulton
the first penetrated the sleeve of
Leffingwell's coat, grazing his left
forearm. The skin was not broken.
The second shot passed along the front
of Dingwall's vest, cutting the cloth
for an inch or two. The third struck
Dingwall in the fieshy part of the back
on the left side, as he rose from his
chair. The fourth shot passed through
Miss Buckeyes dress, being DETECTED
from it's course by a blow from
LefingweH in an effort to knock the
revolver from Moulton's hand. The
last shot went wild.
The cause of the act is not clear.
It was believed at first that Moulton
was suffering from a bad case Of jeal-
ousy either for Miss Buckley OF for
Minnie Seligman of the same company
and hat he mistook Miss Buckley for
Miss Seligman, when he saw her in
the Rathskellar. As soon as the testi-
mony of the numerous witnesses could
be secured, it became apparent that
Moulton was suffering badly from
drugs or alcoholic stimulents or both,
and had no fixed idea about the shoot
ing.
Thursday night Moulton took a box
at the Broadway theatre, purchasing
six tickets, only n of which he used.
His actions at the theatre attracted
the attention of the. audience and
those on the stage. On leaving the
theatre he was seen to take a number
of drinks in neal by saloons.
When he was arrested a bottle part
ly filled with sulphate of morphine
tablets and a bottle of liquid solution
of morphine were found Oh his person.
While waiting to be arraigned in the
westside court he said he had par
taken freely of these drugs and gave
this as an excuse for his conduct. He
said that his home was in Springfield.
- Tov,, ~ md thof ho ho1 hooN for three
years a student of architecture al
Columbia college. He said that he
remembered going to the theatre, but
recalled nothing after the curtain rose
on the second act. He denied know
ing Miss Seligman. He was held il
SIS, 900 bail and his examination wa
set for Monday.
Dingwall's friends who saw him a
the hospital tonight said his condition
was not serious and that he would b
out in d few days.
After Moulton had been locked up
Detective Traynor said that he hat
been looking for Moulton since Febru
airy 8. On that date, he said, Moultol
t. called upon Doctor James E. New
combe of this city and had him cash
check for $50. Doctor Newcombe
Detective Traynor said, has received
number Of letters from Chicago. SIM
Sing, Elmira, Boston and Buffalo, say
ing that Moulton had engaged il
swindling operations in the cite
named, where he had secured sum
ranging from $50 to $l75. The de
tective said he would arrest Moultol
on these charges if he should free him
self Of his present trouble. It i
claimed by the police that Moulto1
has supported himself for the past tw
years by swindling.
FOR PRIMARY ELECTIONS.