The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-18
w. j. Mallard and Robert Hamilton
Killed by w. c. Turner, Who then
Shot Himself.
ALL WERE MANUFACTURERS
SUICIDE WAS EX-PRESIDENT OF
CLIMAX BOTTLING COMPANY.
And Settled nm Alleged Shortage by
Drawing His Revolver and Firing
Three Deadly shots.

NEW YORK, Oct. 17.-Using a new au-
tomato magazine pistol, William G. Turn
er, former president and treasurer of the
Climax Bottling Company, to-day shot and
killed William j.. Mallard, secretary and
treasurer of the company. and Robert
Hamilton, its president. and then killed
himself with the same weapon. A second
revolver. loaded in every chamber, was
found in Turner'S pocket, and 1T Is believed
he planned to take more lives than he did.
The shooting was caused by a quarrel
between the three men over an alleged
shortage in Turner'S accounts, for which
ne was threatened with criminal prosecu-
ton. The tragedy occurred in the offices of
the law firm of Cantor Adams & Mcintyre,
in the heart of the Wall street district
during the busy noon hour. Turner, who
was forty-five years old and lived at Mount
Vernon, N. Y, a suburb of this city, was a
cousin of Governor Odell, of this State, and
the head of the law firm in whose offices
the shooting occurred is President Cantor.
of the Borough of Manhattan. Soon after
the shots rang out in the office building a
wild rumor was started that the borough
president had been killed.
All of the principals in the tragedy were
married. Mallard was thirty-six years old,
a native of Atlanta, Ca, where he was
well known In business and social circles.
He was president of the Young Mems Dem
ocratic Club there. He had been in the
city about four years and lived with his
wife and two children in an uptown fa.
Mr.. Hamilton lived in Pittsburg, where he
was president of the ]. T. e. A. Hamilton
glass factories. He was about sixty years
oI1 in cff
response to telegram from Turner at
Pittsburg. which said: Meet me in New
York Friday and will settle with YOU"
CAUSED A PANIC.
The three men met in the law offices by
appointment to allow Turner to make par
tial settlement and he was asked for a GER
titled check. "I have it," he said and then
he closed the door of the room. An instant
later he drew a revolver and began firing
Mallard fell, shot through the heart, and
Hamilton lived only few moments. A
number of other persons who were in the
room, clerks and members of the firm, fled
in a panic After killing Hamilton and
Mallard, Turner shot himself in the head.
Some moments later hearing no more
shots, the persons who fed returned back
into the room and found the three bodies
Turner retired as president of the Gil
max Bottling Company last April, when he
was bought out by Hamilton. After the
sale it was discovered, in examining the
books of the concern, that there was a
shortage of 100 in Turner's accounts The
Climax company engaged John f. McIn-
tyre. former assistant district attorney, and
NJ Goodman, both Of the firm in whose
offices the shooting occurred to-day, to ef-
feet a settlement with Turner, and he en-
gagged Edgard Leventritt to represent his
interest. Some difficulty had been met with
I'm the negotiations which followed between
the lawyers but it finally agreed to
accept s2T00 and give Turner a release in
full Last night IL was agreed that the
settlement should take place in the Offices
o'clock.
Before he left the conference last night
Turner anxiously asked that Mr.. McIn-
tyre be present at to-days meeting and
Mcintyre has said since the shooting that
he did not like Turner's manner yesterday
as the latter seemed, In his opinion, TO bear
himself recklessly and with the demeanor
of a man who might do almost any des-
perate act.
At the appointed hour to-day Turner,
with his lawyer. entered the law Offices
Mr. Goodman ushered Turner and his law
yer into the private Office OF Mr.. Adams. Le-
ventrttt. II Is said. told Turner to remain
outside Turner refused. saying he wanted
to close the matter at once. Turner imme-
diat2Ls after entering asked for Mr.. McIn-