Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-05-14
PAUL |. FORD is SLAIN.
Famous Novelist Killed by Brother,
Who Also Dies.

Who Also Dies.
As he sat at lis desk. working on what
he expected to be his greatest book, Paul
Leicester Ford, the author of Janice
Meredith" THE Honorable Peter Stir
ling" and a dozen other famous works,
was slain by his brother Malcolm. the
one-time amateur athletic champion, be-
cause the latter blamed his distinguished
brother for his being disinherited by their
father and the contrast between his own
comparative poverty and the wealth and
distinction of his brother maddened him.
Immediately after shooting, Malcolm
turned the revolver ON himself, put a
bullet through his own heart and was
dead while his victim was still fighting
for breath.
Malcolm Ford did not speak after he
fell. but the novelist, looking up into the
eyes of the surgeon, who had come at
once, and reading his fate there, said,
calmly: Il want to die bravely."
The murder was done and the fratri-
eide killed himself in the library of the
noyelist's beautiful home at 81 East Sew
enty -seventh street, New York. Malcolm
had come as he had often come, before,
to demand money, it is believed, and the
one witness to the double tragedy gath
cred that he was refused. This one wit
ness was Miss Elizabeth X. Hall. Paul
Leicester Ford's secretary. who sat at
the corner Of the room typewriting some
of the manuscript of the writer's new
book
According to her. the athlete brother
came to the study and held a whispered
conversation with the hunchback novelist,
who was sitting at his desk. What they
said she cannot repeat, but she gath
cred it was another request such as she
had heard before.
When she turned the strong mans arm
was around his deformed brothers neck
and his pistol was pressed to his breast.
At the first report she fed, but she heard
her name called by the murderer and ran
back to help her employer. She caught
him as he was reeling from his desk and
helped him to a couch, and while she was
doing this she heard the voice OF the
other, calm and sharp, saying: Now
watch me die"
And, raising her eyes from the faint
ing, deformed man who Was clutchins at
his bleeding breast she saw the other
put his still smoking weapon TO his heart
and fire and fall
The fortune, participation in which
was denied Malcolm Ford. amounted to
millions. Gordon l.. Ford. the father,
was for years publisher of the New York
Tribune. and the holder of large blocks
of Brooklyn real estate.
The lowest estimate of his estate when
he died was $2,0000F3 and there are
those who say $10.0D.000 is nearer ;he
true figure All this fortune was left
10 his " NV to be divided at her ueath
among tie two brothers and two sisters
Of Malcolm Food. who was thus excluded
from any share the property. The
widow survived only two years. 1t IS
difficult to learn Just what arrangement
was made then; one story has it that an
agreement was reached that Malcolm
should have some share, and another is
that ne was refused anything.
Threatened to Contest.
Then followed threats TO contest the
fathers will by Malcolm, and confer
ences among the family. and it was gen
orally belieevd that an allowance was
made for Malcolm. His claim often re-
peated. was that the quarrel between
himself and his father had been practi-
cally patched up and that the Will was
to have been changed SO as TO admit him
to an equal share with his brothers and
sisters. aud to the influence Of Paul he
laid the failure Of the father to make
the change.