Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-25
WAS IT SUICIDE?.
Rolla D. Houdyshell Meets vio-
lent Death in Smoky Row.
BULLET WAS SENT INTO HIS BRAIN
The Affair Occurred at the Home of
His Alleged Mistress, Who Claims
She Is Not Guilty of the peed-The
Coroner's Inquest.
TFrom Fridays Dally.l

ltrom fridays Dally.J
Rolla D.Houdyshell,a laborer who re-
sided in Ottumwa nearly all his life,
lies dead in this city today as the re-
suit of a gunshot wound received yes
terday afternoon at the home of his al
legged mistress, Eva Bliss, sometimes
known as Eva Wright, situated on the
alley between Mill and Samantha
streets and between Union and Vine
streets, in the Smoky Row district. The
woman, who was the only witness to
the, shooting, says that the man killed
himself in a fit of dependency over
illness. The coroner's jury, which
heard the evidence this morning, did
not hold her, but found that the wound
was made by the hands of person I'M
known to the jury.
The Woman's Story.
The Bliss woman claims that
Houdyshell, while sitting at the dinner
table in the kitchen at her home, sud-
denly declared his determination to
kill himself and. securing gun in the
next room, shot himself before she
could stop him, or could hardly real
lie what had happened. She says that
he was up town during the early af-
ternoon, and returned to her house;
that he refused to eat the dinner she
offered him, saying that he was ill.
She prevailed upon him, however, to
drink a cup of coffee, and while thus
engaged, the woman claims, he sud-
denly exclaimed:
I'm going to kill myself. don't
want to live any longer"
Il asked him what he meant said
the woman this morning at the coro-
ners inquest, "and tried to get him to
change his mind, but while was talk
ing he jumped up from the table, ran
into the front room and got my revol-
yer from between the feather bed and
the mattress. Then he turned toward
me, put the gun to his head and shot
himself. AS soon as saw him get the
gun I ran toward him, but could not
stop him. He staggered and fell to
the floor, where he lay until he died,
an hour or two later
Neishborhood Aroused.
AS soon as she realized what had
happened, Mrs. Bliss says, she ran to
the residence of Mrs. Kate Hohl, 10.
Gated next door to her own home and
told Mrs. Hohl that Houdyshell had
shot himself. The pistol shot and the
woman's cries had by this time arous.
ed the neighborhood, and in a few
minutes the house was full of curious
people.
An Officer Arrives.
Constable e. M. Campbell was in
the neighborhood on court business
and seeing the disturbance he hasten.
ed to the house, and on entering, saw
the dying man stretched upon the
floor, while the Bliss woman and her
neighhors were grouped about the pros
trate form. Constable Campbell ordered
one of the bystanders to call physi
clan, and DR.. w. c. Newell responded
He pronounced Houdyshell beyond hui
man aid, after a brief examination
which disclosed the fact that the skull
was badly shattered about the bullet
wound, and that blood and brain tissue
were oozing from the opening in large
quantities. This was about 4:45, fiji
teen minutes after the shooting occur
red, and the unfortunate man lived un
til o'clock, although he was not con
scious at any time after the shot was
fired.
Woman Was Nervous.
The police were notified of the
shooting soon after it occurred, and
when Chief Gray arrived at the house
he and Constable Campbell questioned
the Bliss woman, who was very ner
vous. She repeatedly stated that she
did not kill him, and tried in every
way to convince the officers of thai
fact. She did not seem to regret the
killing. but bemoaned the fact that il
took place at her house.
The coroner's Inquest.
After the man died his body was
HAEH EsEDE