The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-13
PISTOL SHOT ENDS
MRS. Ed. J0NESL|FE
During Her illness She Uses
Weapon on Herself.
HER LIFE A HAPPY ONE
The Body Was Taken to Her Old Home at
Franknion Yesterday for Burial,
Accompanied by Sor-
rowing Friends.

The sound of a pistol shot in the bed
room, at five o'clock yesterday morning,
and in a moment the borrow stricken
husband and relatives of Mrs. Kate
Cheatham Jones found her dying, a
pistol at her side and a wound in the
temple telling the sad story.
Mrs. Jones was about thirty three years
old, the wife of Mr.. E. L. Jones. collec-
tor for the Seaboard Air Line freight
office. Their residence is on East Jones
street, where they lived alone having no
children. Her body was taken yester-
day to her old home in Franklinton for
burial.
On Wednesday Mrs. Jones seemed we'll
and in good spirits when her husband
left home in the morning for his work.
He returned for dinner at two o'clock,
and he found the door locked and the
house closed, supposed that Mrs. Jones
was with a neighbor. Not being uneasy
he came down town and took dinner.
Returning after work was over for
supper he was surprised to find the door
still locked He found a way to get into
the house and found his wife in bed i'll
and unconscious. At once he called on
his neighbors for assistance and sum-
moned a physician, who reached Mrs.
Jones about s o'clock.
l was found that Mrs. Jones had been
attacked by apoplexy and that COMA had
resulted from this. The physician found
her in a very bad condition, prescribed
for her, and returned at midnight when
he found that she was improving and was
able to talk to him. He left, expecting
to return in the morning.
Mr.. Jones had telegraphed to his wife's
brother, Mr.. E. ]. Cheatham, and to her
sister, Miss Sue Cheatham at Frank
linton, calling them here on account of
the critical illness of Mrs. Jones. They
reached here at o'clock yesterday
morning, and going at once to the house
releaved the neighbors who had been
sitting up with Mrs. Jones.
Shortly after their arrival Mr.. Jones
lay down in an adjoining room to rest,
while Miss Cheatham remained with her
sister. Just about five o'clock, while
Mrs. Jones was apparently resting easy,
Miss Cheatham stepped into an adjoining
room She had hardly left before she
heard pistol shot. She thought at first
it was a cartridge in the fire, but re-
turning at one found that Mrs. Jones had
shot herself
The wound was inflicted with a pistol
1t was one Mr.. Jones had recently pur-
chased and left with his wife for her
protection. Mrs. Jones had it under her
pillow and as Miss Cheatham left the
room, drew it out, placed it to her right
temple and pulled the trigger. The ball
entered the right temple, passed entirely
through the brain and lodged in the bone
of the left temple.
The shock was a terrible one to Mr..
Jones and the others. At once a physi-
clan was summoned. Mrs. Jones was
barely alive when he arrived and lived
about ten or fifteen minutes after she
fired the fatal shot.
The home is spoken of as a happy one
by the neighbours and the only cause that
can be found for the rash act. was that
the apoplectic stroke and the suffering
which accompanied this, had temporarily
deranged Mrs. Jones, and that, not know
ing what she did. she used the pistol
which came to her hand as she passed
it under the pillow.
Yesterday at noon the body was taken
to Franklinton for burial. With it went
Mr.. Jones. the relatives and many
friends. On the caskett there were
numerous beautiful floral remembrances.
Among the ladies who went to Frank
linton were Mrs. J. C. Ellington and
Mrs. Ernest Martin.
The pail bearers who accompanied the
remains to the depot are Messrs. C. F.
Lumsden, j. F. Jordan, w. w. Parish,
Marvin Harris, J. c. Tuker and Thos A.
Green. Rev G. T. Adams of the Central
Methodist church, also accompanied the
stricken family to the depot.
Mrs. Jones, formerly Miss Kate
Cheatham, was the daughter of the late
Captain Cheatham, of Franklinton, and
niece of Dr. w. T. Cheatham She has
been married six years, but there were
no children. She leaves three brothers,
Capt. R. ]. Chatham, a Seaboard Air
Line freight agent in Atlanta; Mr.. ]. B.
Cheatham, of Atlanta. and Mr.. E. ].
Cheatham, of Franklinton. Her surviv-
ing sisters are Miss Sue Cheatham, OF
Franklinton; Mrs. A. w. Austin. of Louis