Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-27

Philadelphia, Pa, Feb. 21.-George
W. Sutton, youth Of 10 years, shot
and killed Gertrude Gothic, his sweet
heart, as she lay i'll in bed at her home
yesterday. Then he shot himself in
the breast, walked from the house and
submitted to arrest.
Only Sutton has full knowledge
of the causes of the shooting. But
there had been conflict between
youthful passion and religious zeal,
and this may have turned the imma-
ture Judgment of the boy to unreason-
ing violence. He had been Respondent
because the girls parents and his own
had objected to their. marriage, she
being a Roman Catholic and he
Protestant. Yet only few days ago
he had taken the first steps toward
embracing her faith.
Aside from these facts, the story is
curious mixture of tenderness and
ferocity. Last Sunday the girl went
secretly to distant chapel and prayed
that her sweetheart might Join her in
her church. When he called on her
yesterday, with revolver in his
pocket, he carried little bunch of
flowers, which he laid on her pillow.
Only few minutes before her death
he kissed her, and laughed lightly be-
cause her brother had observed him.
Miss Gothie,a pretty girl of % years,
lived with her parents in modest
little house at 1514 South Sixty third
street, and was devout member of
st. Clements Roman Catholic Church,
at Seventy first street and Woodland
avenue. Sutton's home is at Sixty
fourth street andtGray's avenue, only
O block away.
The two families had been acquainted
for several years, and even after the
differences arose over the attachment
of the young persons visits were ex-
changed. But both Mrs. Gothic and
Mrs. Sutton opposed the marriage, each
being devout in her faith. Finally Ger
trude prevailed upon the boy to remove
the obstacle by accepting her religion.
A, few weeks ago he called on the Rev.
Father Mcbride, assistant pastor of
st. Clements, and listened earnestly
to exhortation. Then he dropped the
project for a.time, but last Monday he
visited the priest again. For more
than an hour he was under instruction
in the faith, and when he left was in
cheerful spirits.
With his mother, young Sutton
walked around to the Gothic home a
little after l O'Clock yesterday. He
had gone down town in the morning,
the police say, and bought a cheap re-
volver.
Mrs. Gothic greeted her friends, and
took them upstairs. the girl was in
bed, recovering from the effects of a
fall downstairs last Monday. Sutton
laid the flowers on her pillow and
greeted her affectionately. A little
later he bent over and kissed her, Just
as her brother entered the room.
You didn't see that, he said,
laughing. Presently the brother left
the room, then Mrs. Gothic was called
downstairs, and Mrs. Sutton followed
her.
The two women had chatted for per-
haps 10 minutes when they were startled
by loud report. The children were
playing noisily in the lower part of the
house, and at first it was thought they
we're responsible. The women ran into
the hall. Then two other reports fol-
lowed quickly, and they dashed up to
Gertrude's room.
The girl was dead, with the flowers
beside her, a widening circle of red
staining the coverlet over her breast,
Over her crouched Sutton, the revolver
in his right hand, his left hand clutched
over his heart, where he had shot him
self.
As the women ran toward the bed
the boy Strengthened up and walked
steadily past them. He descended the
stairs slowly and passed into the street.
Already a little knot of neighbors
had gathered, attracted by the sound
of the firing. A man employed by
avenue, who had been working nearby,
ran to his shop and gave the alarm.
Dunlap sent him for the patrol wagon,
only two blocks away, and himself
hurried toward the house.
Sutton meanwhile, still carrying the
revolver, had crossed the street to No.
1913, where his married brother lives.
He met his sister-i n-law at the door.
AS she saw his white face and the stair
on his coat she begged him to tell hei
what had happened.
'tIt was all her fault, Essie, - he
said. Then he turned from the door
way and walked unsteadily toward
Woodland avenue. Dunlap met hin
half way.
Whats up, George?" he asked.
tive just shot myself answered
Sutton. Here's the gun: take it, ;
He staggered as he spoke, and DUNLAP
caught him. A moment later tn,
patrol wagon came. The boy was lifted
in and taken to the University Hos
pital. On the way the police tried t.
question him, but could learn little.
II was showing Gertie the pistol, :
he said, "and-she tried to take it from
me. In the struggle she was sho
through the right hand When | saw
what | had done got excited and sho
her again, and tried to kill myself. "
At the hospital it was found that tn,
bullet had entered Just below the heart
and was lodged in the muscles of tn
back.