Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-01
Target Is Physician Living at,
Des Moines,
TROUBLE Was OVER DIVORCED WIFE
Dir. Hammond Says That Doctor Drew
Gun First-Hands Smoking Gun to
| Policeman and Rolls Away to Police
/; Station With Officer.
lFrom Saturdays Daily.l

tFrom Saturdays Daily.l
Jesse Hammond, of Des Moines, for.
merly of Ottumwa, who runs the fash.
8onable Drexel bowling alleys in the
former city, took shot at DR.. e. B.
Walston at 8 o'clock last night, missed
him, handed his smoking gun to po-
liceman standing by, and then drove
the officer down to the police station in
his automobile. There he gave bond
in $500 on charge of assault with
intent to kill, swore out warrant for
Or. Walston's arrest on like charge
Manning to have shot in self-defense-
nd went to his home at 932 Fifth
treet in his auto. The ARRAY occur
ed at the home of Hammond's divorc-
ID wife, at 1041 Sixth avenue. A DO.
nceman saw it, as did half dozen
other people.
The rest of the story Is told by the
Des Moines Leader:
That DR.. E. B. Walston was not kill
ed last evening was due wholly to a
slight miscalculation in the aim of a
bullet directed at him by Jesse Ham
mond. The ball passed through the
ront door of the boarding house kept
}y Mrs. M. S. Allen at 1O41 Sixth ave-
que. The ball sped past the head of
pr. Walston, who claims he slammed
The door in Hammond's face to pre-
vent him from taking direct shot.
The affair grew out of Walston's at
}entions to Hammond's divorced wife
md was precipitated by the meeting
of Walston and Hammond at Mrs. AL
lens, where Hammond went to call
upon Mrs. Hammond. Walston claims
the shooting by Hammond was unpro-
loked. Hammond, on the contrary in
lists that Walston first drew a gun on
Jim and that he fired in self defense.
Hammond was arrested on a charge
u assault with intent to commit muir
Ter on a warrant sworn out by Wal
}ton and held under bonds. Hammond
hter swore out warrant for the ar
rest of Walston, making the same
charge.
Hammond Divorced From Wife.
Hammond and his wife, after being
married fourteen years, separated last
December, Mrs. Hammond being
granted a divorce and given custody
i their only child, Ralph, 10 years Of
ge. Hammond has, since the separa-
Jon from his wife, entertained a de-
aded antipithy to Dr.Walston because
II alleged attentions paid to Mrs.
Hammond. Hammond has made fire.
!auent visits to his divorced wife, at
Mrs. Aliens house, to protest against her
receiving attentions from the doctor.
Mrs. Hammond, who confessed to ap-
pretending he would make an assault
bn her life, managed to placate and
put him off from time to time, until
last evening, when he called at Mrs.
Aliens.
About o'clock, while Mrs. Ham
mond. DR.. Walston, Mrs. Allen and a
young daughter Of the latter were
}eated in the sitting room room engag-
I'd in conversation, there was a vigor-
pus knock at the front door. Mrs. AL
Bn answered the summons. When she
opened the door she was confronted by
Hammond, who stood on the porch.
II want to see Mrs. Hammond" he
said, in decided tone.
Il will see If she is in" replied Mrs.
Allen, closing the door and retreating
to the sitting room.
"Mr. Hammond is at the door," she
exclaimed, addressing Mrs. Hammond
"What shall tell him.
ooh, tell him I am not at home" re-
piled Mrs. Hammond, arising and pre-
pairing to leave the room.
Mrs Allan rafurpod IN tho HnA, 4
stated to Hammond that Mrs. Ham
nond was not at home.
II know id sight better" he re.
torted, "and I'll see her, too. She and
DR.. Walston are in the sitting hoom
and there's no use of you giving me
that ghost story. Get out of the .way!"
Crowded Past Mrs. Allen.
At this Hammond, who had drawn a
pistol from his pocket, brushed past
Mrs. Allen, and hurrying forward
through the hall into the front room.
he was almost to the closed door
which separated him from the sitting
room, when Mrs. Allen fell upon him
and, selling his arm (Hammond has
only one ARM tried to wrest the pistol
from his grasp. Turning about, he re-
pulsed Mrs. Allen. Twice he thrust
her aside and twice she laid hold of
him. He had thrown her violently
against mantle at the right of the
entrance to the sitting room when
Fred, son of Mrs. Allen, hearing the
noise of the struggle, burst through
the door and went to his mothers as
sistance. Fred closed with Ham
mond and bore him to the floor.
"You struck my mother you whelp,"
exclaimed young Allen, and l won't
stand for that. Get out of here"
Let me UP and I'll get out" prom
fsed Hammond.
He was allowed to get up. Without
waiting an instant he leaped to his
feet, and hurrying to the door, made
his exit and fled rapidly down the
street Mrs. Hammond, DR.. Walston
and the Allen family has scarcely re-
covered from the excitement of the in
cident when there was another knock
at the front door. DR.. Walston re-
sponded to the knock. Hammond was
standing on the porch.
II want to see Mrs. Hammond" he
exclaimed.
you'll not see her." replied the doc
mr. ffSha 10 haro h,1t Won cannot COO