Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-15
Hilton Woman Fatally Shoots
Former Spouse on Streets
of Hilton.
DID IT TO SAVE HERSELF
eepeIs Attacks of Razor With
Bullets Which Find Lodgment in
AssaiIant's Body-Is Under Arrest
Charged With Murder. a&.l

SudI SCu VttiI WulASls
Hilton, April 14.-(SpeciaD- The
sound of three shots fired by woman
In this city yesterday about noon
reused the citizens and when they ar
rived at the scene of the trouble they
found a colored woman with a smok-
ing revolver and the body of colored
man lying close by. Nora Conway,
colored, shot and killed her former
husband, Frank Conway, also colored,
because he tried to kill her with
razor. She claims that she shot in
self defence. The coroner's jury re-
turned verdict finding that Conway
came to his death by bullet wounds at
the hands of his former wife, Nora.
There was great excitement in this
town as well as in Hooking when news
of the affair spread.
Story of Trouble.
Nora Conway is comely colored
woman about 80 years of age. Some
seven or eight years ago she was mar
ried to Frank Conway, aged about 4S
years. They lived together until a
short time ago when domestic trou-
BILE eliminated in divorce.
The Shooting.
Yesterday between 1880 o'clock
and noon the couple met in an alley
in the colored settlement. 1t is said
that Conway upon catching sight of
the woman drew razor and made a
rush for her in menacing manner.
She called to him twice to keep back
bue he persisted in coming on and she
shot in the air. This did not deter
him from his purpose and the woman
fired again, hitting him in the left
shoulder This, it is said, seemed to
madden the colored man, who was
nearly knocked down by the force of
the bullet. Recovering himself he
again endeavored to get in close quar-
ters and Mrs. Conway fired the third
time, the bullet striking him in the
region of the heart. He fell and ex-
pired in few minutes. A great crowd
gathered and the woman left. She
was arrested in a short time by Dep
uty Constable p A. Reed and taken to
Abba on the 6:1O o'clock Wabash train
where she was incarcerated in Jail.
coroner's Verdict.
The coroner at Abba was notified
and held an inquest at three o'clock
finding that Conway came to his death
at the hands of his former wife She
Aoe n bn, Of
She has borne good reputation here
lofore and her friends say that she
did the deed to save her own life.
Not Bad Man.
Frank Conway, the dead man, is a
coal miner and has borne good repu-
tation. He was not drinking man
and was not considered bad charac-
ter. Ii the woman's story is true his
friends find it hard to account for his
action in menacing his wife and in try
ing to take her life. Conway was
we'll known in this section of the
state and was known as hard work
Ing man.
The funeral will occur some time to-
morrow, the exact time not having
been fixed as yet
Confesses to Crime.
Abba, April 14-(SpeciaD D-Nora
Conway, the colored woman, who is
charger with numbering her forme,
husband in Hilton yesterday, was seen
at the county Jail here today and con
fessed that she fired the fata ! shot
The woman was lying on cot in the
Jail and was in a hysterical state
When approached by reporter she
could hardly control herself but final
ly told the following story:
my name is Nora Conway | an
rs years of age and life at Hilton
where l have resided for the past nine
months. | was marie dto Franz
Conway in Keb January IL, 1898.
was at my sisters house Sunday When
Frank called. was in the back yard
/ shot at him and he fell / don't
know how many shots l fired. Since
our marriage he has been very crue
to me and has threatened my life. HI
cut at me with razor before shot al
him. l don't know how many time.
/ shot. That is all l will say; yol
will have to see my brother"
Was Charged With MansIaughter..
Mrs. Conway was brought to this
city last evening on warrant charg
ing her with manslaughter. This wa
placed in the hands of the officers be
fore the result of the coroners inquir,
was made known. The information
was made out by George Taylor, jus
tice of the peace. Afterwards the
charge was changed to that of murde
on which charge she is now being held
Dead Man Deacon in Church.
Frank Conway was thirty-secont
degree colored Mason, belonged to tht
Colored knights of Pythias and was {
deacon in the church at Hilton.