Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-07-17
Mrs. Hunt Shoots To Kill


Mollie e. Hunt Empties Revolver At
A. II. Goodspeed, at Atlantic, But
One Shot Taking Effect, Caus-
ing Slight Scalp Wound.
A. H. Goodspeed was shot by Mrs.
Mollie E. Hunt, this morning in his
room over the National Bank. The
first shot took effect in his scalp,
making a slight wound. The re-
naming four shots went wide of
their mark as the fleeing man es-
capped down the stairway to Chest
nut street. Goodspeed now lies at
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Nc
Cloud, at 705 Walnut street while his
assailant is in an upstairs cell at the
county Jail, The assault occurred
about half past nine O'Clock this
morning. Mrs. Hunt will be ar
raigned before Justice Pressnau to-
morrow at ten o'clock.
Upon emptying her revolver Mrs.
Hunt calmly returned to the room
and seated herself, leaving the door
wide adjar, and it was there that
Mayor McWaid found her wheu he
rushed up the stairs after hearing
the shots, while in his office below.
Sheriff Marshall Immediately ap-
peared upon the scene and after al
lowing Mrs. Hunt to leave some di-
rections for letter to be sent to her
daughter, and arranging some of
her personal possessions to be.sent
also, she accompanied the sheriff
and deputy to the Jail where she
was soon afterwards seen by re-
porter for The Telegraph.
WHY SHE SHOT.
ITO begin with Goodspeed has
been paying his respects to me for
several months; came here about
Easter time. The fact is we became
engaged and he promised to marry
me as soon as his wife had been
dead year. supposed everything
was all right until the other day
VIXEN he came home from down at
Des Moines where he had been to
the Elk's blow out. He didn't seem
to act quite right after that and
asked him for an explanation but
he said everything was all right.
Last Tuesday l was going up to
Extra to stay few days, and plan
ned to came back today, Thursday,
and when Igotto the depot the gen.
| tienan was there. l did not expect
him to be there to see me off because
we had been having some trouble
and asked him what he was there
for He said that he had come to
meet girl from Des Moines who
| was coming here to cook at the Oc-
cidental hotel. He said her home
| was at Ames. He saw how / took it
and then he asked me to come to the
car and meet her; said would do
| it if it was his request and he said
that it certainly was. The moment
he introduced me the girls counte-
nance gave the whole thing away"
But got on my train Just the
same and went to Extra but turned
around and came right back and
! since then we've been having it up
one side and down the other. He de
| clared that the woman was nothing
but friend of his but found let
ters from herin his pocket that gave
the whole thing away. OF course /
had no right to read them, but what
would any woman have done under
the circumstances? think that any
woman would have read them. She
called him affectionate names and
in one of them said she would rath-
er be an old mans darling than a
young mans slave. Then 1 knew he
was breaking faith with me. He ex-
pected to meet her in Des Moines. l
think, but she got anxious and tele-
graphed him that she was coming
out here. Oh, Lord, why didn't /
keep those letters? Iwish / had kept
them. 1t was the same night that
the woman had come from Des
Moines, after got back from Extra
that found those letters. You see
l had access to his room over the
bank and | went there when 1 got
back, expecting to find him and the
new woman there. If I had found
them 1 should have shot both OF
them. That was what / came back
for 50 soon. You see they did not
think would be back until today. l
had given him plenty of warning,
for at the depot before l went up to
Extra he called Jim Collins over to
jolly me because he saw the mood /
was in and said to hum in Collins
presence: Speedy, you must not
play horse with me, l won't stand
Yesterday he was with the new
woman all day and l did not see
him. went to his room and got his
revolver. The weapon is Smith
and Wesson, thlrty-two in size, and
| went to Caldwell's hardware store
to get some cartridges for it but
they did not have any to fit so I
went to Shoudy Brothers and got
the gun loaded. This morning we
had regular fight, if it must be
said, for slapped him in the face
and then he choked me. Not very
hard, but he choked me just the
same, and l saw that the time to
shoot him was just then SO asked
him to get me fresh pitcher of
water and while he was in the hall
getting it / got out the gun and
after he opened the door to go down
| stairs, so that he was far enough
| away from me so that he could not
grab me and stop me shot at him
and aimed at his temple with the
| DIIrDOSe Of kil1iuo him Whv I