The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-09
A NOVELIST KILLED
D.IL LEICESTER FORD DIES BY
HIS BROTHERS. HAND.
WHO THEN KILLED HIMSELF.
rHE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY WITH
OUT EXPLANATION.


ton, Due to Nervous Exhaus.:1n,
snys Physician-ShOt Brother
Through Heart After Exchanging
n Few quiet Words, Then Put Pts
8 tol TO His own Breast-DOubIe
Killing Occurred in Library of Mr..
Ford's Handsome New York Home.
New York, May S.-Paul Leicester
A Ford. the novelist, was shot and killed
to-day by his brother, Malcolm Web
ster Ford, writer and athlete, who inn
a mediately sent a bullet into his own
breast, dying instantly. The shooting
\ occurred at 1920 a. m. in the handsome
1 new mansion which Paul Leicester
/ Ford had built at SO East Seventy
seventh street, and had occupied for
about a year.
At the time of the shooting there
were in the house besides the two
brothers, Mrs. Paul Leicester Ford,
Miss Elizabeth r. Hall, the novelist's
i secretary, and the servants. The
novelist was sitting at his desk in
one corner of his library, a large, at
tractively appointed room at the back
of the house on the second floor. 1t
is supposed he was busily engaged at
some literary task. Miss Hall was at
Il her desk in another corner Of the room
about thirty feet from Mr.. Ford. Mrs.
Paul Leicester Ford was in her own
room at the front of the house on
the third floor.
Malcolm w. Ford called, as he often
had done, and went to his brother at
his desk. Words were exchanged in
tone so low that Miss Hall could not
hear what was said, though she says
that possibly she might have distin-
gushed the words if she had been
paying any attention to this particu-
lar meeting of the brothers
Suddenly there was a revolver
shot and Miss Hall, jumping up,
darted from the room. Then, accord
ing to the statements of the police.
Miss Hall said to herself that she
must act more bravely and re-enter
the library.
Meanwhile Malcolm Ford had called
her. AS she turned towards him, he
placed his revolver to his heart, fired
and fell, dying instantly. When Miss
Hall turned to look at Paul, he was
still standing at his desk, but rapidly
losing strength. She helped him to
sofa and then ran next door for Paul
j Ford's physician, DR.. Emanuel Ba-
4 ruch. In less than five minutes DR..
4 Baruch arrived and the dying man,
i still conscious, was carried UP to a
i room beside his wife's and placed on
his bed. He spoke to his wife, and
asked the doctor for his opinion, show
ing that he expected death and was
i going to meet it calmly and bravely.
few moments later, about twenty
4 minutes after he was shot, Mr.. Ford
4 died.
Both Shot Through Heart.
The bullet which killed Paul Leices-
ter Ford just grazed the top of his
Il heart and passed through a large ar
H terry ascending from it. The bullet
which killed Malcolm Ford was fired
n with the same accuracy of aim, for
1t made a wound scarcely an inch low
er than the one which killed his
4 brother In fact, the wounds were
almost identical.
Just what disposition of Malcolms
body was made Immediately after the
shooting could not be ascertained, but
4 1t appears from the statement of GER
taln persons acquainted with the de-
tails OF the tragedy that the body lay
"nere it fell, on a rug in the library
Ior some time, possibly for several
hours, so great was the excitement in
the house. In fact the murder and
suicide We're not known to the coroner
unlll about 2:30 p. m. and not to the
poHce until 4:25 p. m. DR.. Baruch
"la that the time between 1920 a. M
anu $50 p. M, passed so rapidly that
~ one in the house realized it. Much
Il VI The time was occupied in trying to
~ephone to the father of Mrs. Paul
leicester Ford. Edward H. Kidder of
BROOKLYN, who was the first person to
arrive after the physician.
q MT. kidder refused to make any
statement in regard to the shooting
8 was given to the police. In this it was
i 'aIa mat the cause of the shooting
.ould only be surmised. Information
rom other sources makes it appear
mat Malcolm Ford called to get money
ioHl his brother, and meeting with a
'elusal, shot him. DR.. Baruch says
mat the murder was the result of
iporary mental alteration on the
part of Malcolm Ford, due to nervous
exhaustion.
Murderer Was Disinherited.
II is said there was enmity between
'e Two brothers, and consequently bit
ness and that it was of eleven
Ss standing; that never since the
IN OF their father have they been
an lntImate or brotherly terms. This
fs seq enmity on the part of Malcolm
~ 'alu 10 have been brought about by
GisiIdct that the father of the boys
tis.i'Herlted Malcolm, and that this ac-
he l, on the fathers part was because
80 9 ald not wish Malcolm to devote him
20 an athletic career
s. once Captain Brown said tonight
,i ~ Malcolm w. Ford had for some
tbl peen causing much uneasiness to
4 baI. lainlly through evidences of an I'M
II ottaiIeed mind, and declares that in his
P,Hloh he attacked his brother during
\ ,psilod OF temporary insanity, then
ing his own life.
sofa ne cause Of Malcolm Fords act"
I'D. capt. Brown, "can be explained
81 ference. For some time past his