The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-16
MURDER
Of YOUNG
All HOR

4 nj E.N 1Otshs May o.-Rdul Leicester
IN Ford. the novelist. was sho,
through the heart by his brother.
| Malcolm Webster Ford, this morning.
| The murderer then turned the weapon
| upon himself and gave himself an al
| most exactly similar wound. The two
brothers died within few feet of each
other, Malcolm Immediately and alone.
face downward on the floor, AMI Paul
half hour later on a couch close by.
with his wife of less than two years
married life weeping over him. There
was but one witness of the murder AMI
suicide. Miss Hall, secretary % the
novelist. and through her but one sem
fence of all that was said in the mo-
ments preceding the shooting has
reached the public. When Malcolm
made his threats and drew his revolt
yer. Paul started to his feet. "All
right. 1 want to die braveiy.-' he sai1.
and. facing his brother and enemy.
ne received the bullet in his breast.
There had been a dispute over money
matters before this, and the words that
lative bitterness OF ten years OF family
quarreling. for Malcolm was the disin-
herited son OF millionaire father.
Paul was the spokesman and leader Of
the six children to whom the estate had
been left. And with IL went all the OPP
position of two totally unlike charac-
tiers. For Paul Ford. author OF Janice
Meredith" OF THE Hon. Peter Stir
ling" and other novels and biographical
works. was no less famous in his field
than Malcolm, the holder of the worlds
records for running high jumps and
running broad jumps, was in his. But
Malcolm's splendid physique was brok-
en- down by his experience and trou-
bles till he was probably mentally ir
responsible. while Paul. the hunch
backed cripple. was clear and strong
and brave In the crisis of his life.
1t was because Malcolm was an ath-
lete that the father, Gordon L. Ford,
disinherited him. The ambitions OF the
father, who was once the publisher OF
the New York Tribune. were for liter
airy careers for his three sons. Worth
ington C.. Ford, the Oldest, once chief
of the United States Bureau of Sta
tistics, and Paul satisfied his ideals, but
Malcolm he could not abide. And when
the will was read in 1891 and NAL
collins name was not found. the entire
property going to the other two sons
and four daughters. Malcolms enmity,
which resulted in today's murder, was
planted in his heart. He claimed that
his brothers and sisters had agreed to
share with him. He claimed that they
would have done it had il not been for
Pauls influence. He began a suit which
even yet is standing unsettled in the
courts. In his days of prosperity he
endured this fancied wrong without
coming To violence. In his last two
years of straitened purse he worked
himself up to the revenge that he took
today.
Ii was in the magnificent library of
the Ford family that the tragedy oc-
CURED. The library, one of the finest
private collections of books in the
United States, was established by the !
elder Ford and left to his sons, Worth |
ington and Paul. 1t was foreign ground |
to Malcolm. 1t is housed in the hand |
some new home that Paul Ford built ,
at ~ East Seventy-seventh street just
after his marriage.
Paul Ford was at his desk in one cor
ner OF the room when Malcolm was
shown in few minutes after 10 o'clock
in the morning. Miss Hall. the secre-
taTy. was busily at work at her desk in
once angry conversation between the
two r:en, but Miss Hall says she did
not pay much attention to IL because
she had heard similar quarreis before.
She did not even remember what the
me said TO each other.
Malcolm doubtless demanded money.
He had made many such demands For
year after year he had been given what
le wanted. Then his demands were less
-eadily met. Then the allowances
stopped. He ragged at the refusal. and
rom his rage he passed to threats.
Then he drew his weapon. He said :
nothing more. Paul said the words.
quoted above: "All right. / want TO
lie brayely''
Miss Hall heard them sharp and clear
IN the deadly quiet that preceded ac- =
ion. She looked up, and almost at
nee she heard the shot that took her :
Employers life. She saw Paul Ford
taggering and about to fall. Needless
4 the danger. hardly knowing what
he was doing. she rushed toward him
nd supported him. her arms about his ,
ody. The weight of his slight frame
ested on her. But almost as she re-
eived IL she saw Malcolm standing be-
ide her. his revolver still smoking
anic seized her. She let go of Paul -
nd fed into the hall. The stricken
ian CROPPED and staggered toward the
ouch and sank upon il. From outside
lie door Miss Hall heard the murderer
iy: Miss Hall, come here" She
lrned and put her head cautiously in
the room. She was only in time to I
@ him point the mUzzle of his revolv-
at his heart and fire. AS he fell to -
le floor she rushed screaming down
le hall n
But she did not need to alarm the :
shots had already done
lat. Mrs. Ford herself had heard
em. She was in her bedroom above
e library. She seemed TO know intui-
gely what had happened. Calling her
islands name. she rushed down
airs. regardless of the fact that her
IN state OF health was very delicate
lie was given strength by her love
the library she found her husband
the couch. He was conscious and (
liked to her. He did not seem to suf-