Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-05-16
PAUL FORD MURDERED
AUTHOR SHOT DEAD
BY OWN BROTHER
Sensational Trag dy Ends Family
Difficulties of Long Standing
Murderer Takes His Own
Life.

New York. May S.-Paul Leicester
Ford the novelist. was shot through
the heart by his brother. Malcolm
Webster Ford. this morning. The muir.
derer then turned the weapon upon
himself and gave himself an almost
exactly similar wound. The two broth.
crs died within few feet Of each 9th.
err, Malcolm Immediately and alone,
face downward on the floor. and 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
and suicide. Miss Hail. secretary of
the novelist and through her but one
sentence OF all that was said IN the
moments preceding the shooting has
reached the public. When Malcolm
made his threats and drew his revol
YER, Paul started to his feet. "All
right, want to die bravely." he said
and. facing his brother and enemy. he
received the bullet in his breast.
There had been a dispute over mon.
ey matters before this. and the words
that were said rankled with all the
cumulative bitterness of ten years of
family quarreling. for Malcolm was
the disinherited son of n millionaire
father Paul was the spokesman and
leader Of the six children to whom the
estate had been left. And with II went
all the opposition of two totally un.
like characters. For Paul Ford, au.
thor of Janice Meredith of The
Hon. Peter Stirling" and other novels
and biographical works, was no less
famous in his field than Malcolm. tho
holder of the world s records for run.
ming high jumps and running broad
jumps. was in his. But MalcOlm's
splendid physique was broken down
by his experiences and troubles till he
was probably mentally irresponsible.
while Paul the hunCnbacked cripple,
was clear and strong and brave in the
crisis of his life.
II was because Malcolm was an ath.
lete that the father Gordon l.. Ford
disinherited him. The ambitions of
the father, who was once the publish.
er of the New York Tribune. were for
hterary careers for his three sons.
Worthington c. Ford, the Oldest, once
chief of the United States Bureau of
Statistics, and Paul satisfied his ideals
but Malcolm he could not abide. And
when the will was read in 1891 and
MalColms name was not found, the en-.
tire property going to the other two
sons and four daughters. Malcolm's
enmlty, which resulted In today's muir.
der, was planted in his heart ho
claimed that his brothers and sisters
had agreed TO share with him. lie
claimed that they would have done II
had II not been for Paul's influence
He began a suit which even yet Is
standing unsettled in the courts. In
his days of prosperity he endured this
fancjcd wrong without coming to VIC.
lenCe. In his last two years of strait.
ened 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 fin.
est private collections OF books in the
United States. was established I5y the
elder Ford and left to his sons. Worth
ington and Paul. 1t was foreign
ground to Malcolm. II is housed in
the handsome new home that Paul
Ford built at 80 East Seventy-seventh
street just after his marriage.
Paul Ford was at his desk in one
corner Of the room when Malcolm was
shown In n few minutes after 10
o'clock in the morning. Miss Hail.
tn" secretary, was busily at work at
her desk in nnpthn pprnpr Thara ,Vng
almost at once angry conversation be.
tween the two men, but Miss Hall
says she did not pay much attention
to II because she had heard similar
quarrels before. She did not even
remember what the men said to each
other.
Malcolm doubtless demanded money.
He had made many such demands.
For year after year he had been given
what he wanted. Then his demands
were less readily met. Then the al.
lowances stopped. He ragged at the re-.
fusal and from 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 die bravely.'
Miss Hall heard them sharp anil
clear on the deadly quiet that preceded
action. She looked up. and almost at
once she heard the shot that took her
employers life. She saw Paul Ford
staggering and about to fall Needless
of the danger, hardly know what she
was doing, she rushed toward him and
supported him, her arms about his
body. The weight of his slight frame
rested on her. But almost as she re.
ceived 1t she saw Malcolm standing
beside her, his revolver still smoking.
Panic seized her. She let go OF Paul
and fed into the hall. The stricken
man CROPPED and staggered toward the
couch and sank upon 1t. From out.
side the door Miss Hall heard the
murderer say: Miss Hall, come here. .
She turned and put her head cautious.
ly into the room. Sne was only in
time to see him point the muzzle of
his revolver at his heart and fire. As
he fell to the floor she rushed scream.
ing down the hall.
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