The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-09
Witnessed the First Fatal Shot, Ran
from the Room and Returned i'm
Time to See the Suicide.
BROTHERS NOT ON GOOD TERMS
MALCOLM WAS DIsINHERITED AND
ALWAYS WANTED MONEY.
Was an Athlete and writer-His Vic
tim the Author of "Janice Mere
dith" and other Novels.

NEW YORK. May s.-Paul Leicester
Ford. the novelist, was shot and killed to-
DAY by his brother. Malcolm Webster Ford,
writer and athlete. who Immediately sent
a bullet into his own breast, dying instant
ly. The shooting occurred at 1920 a. m. in
the handsome new mansion which Paul
Leicester Ford had built at 81 East
Seventy-seventh street, and had occupied
for about year.
At the time of the shooting there were in
the house besides the two borthers. Mrs.
Paul Leicester Ford. Miss Elizabeth r.
Hall. the novelist's secretary. and the
servants. The novelist was sitting at his
desk in one corner of his library. a large,
attrae.ively 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 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 Ford called. as he had often
DONE and went to his brother at his desk.
Words were exchanged in a tone so low
that Miss Hall could not hear what was
said. thought she says that possibly she
might have distinguished the words If she
had been paying any attention to this par
ticular meeting of the brothers. Suddenly
there was a revolver shot and Miss Hall
jumped and ran from the rom. Then, ac-
cording to the statement of the police. Miss
Hall said to herself that she must act more
hravely and re-enter the library Mean
while Malcolm Fcrd had called her. AS she
turned towards him he placed his revolver
to his heart, fired and fell, dying in
stantly.
MET DEATH BRAVELY.
When Miss Hall turned to look at Paul
he was still standing at his desk, but
rapidly losing strength. She helped him to
a sofa and then ran next door for Mr..
Paul Ford's physician, DR.. Emanuel
Baruch. In less than five minutes DR..
Baruch arrived and the dying man. still
conscious, was carried up to a room beside
his wife's and placed on his bed. He spoke
to his wife and asked the doctor for his
opinion. showing that he expected death
and was going to meet it calmly and
bravey. A few moments later. about
twenty minutes after he was shot NIr
Ford died.
The bullet which killed Paul Leicester
Ford just grazed the top of his heart and
lassed through a large artery ascending
from II. The bullet which killed Malcolm
Ford was fired with the same accuracy of
aim. for IL made a wound scarcely an inch
lower than the one which killed his brother
In fact. the wounds were almost Identical.
Just what disposition OF Malcolm Fords
boy was made. imediately after the shoot
ing, could not be ascertained. but ii ap-
pears from the statement of certain per-
sons acquainted with the details of the
tragedy. that the body lay where it fell.
on a rug IN the library. for some time. pos
sibly several hours. so great was the ex-
element in the house. In fact. the muir
der and suicide were not known to the
coroner until about 2:3O p. m and not to
the police until as p. m. DR. Baruch said
that the time between 1920 a. m. and 2:so
o. m. passed so rapidly that no one in the
house realized il. Much of the time WAS
occupied in trying TO telephone to the
father OF Mrs. Paul Leicester Ford. Ed
ward H. Kidder OF Brooklyn, who was the
first person 10 arrive after the physician.
MALCOLM WANTED MONEY.
Mr.. kidder refused TO make any state
ment in relation TO the shooting. except
IN BRIEF memorandum. which was given to
the police. In this II said the cause
OF the shooting could only be surmised
Information from other sources makes IL
appear that Malcolm Ford called TO get
money from his brother. and. meeting with
O refusal shot him. DR.. Baruch said the
murder was the result OF temporary mental
alteration on the part OF Malcolm Ford.
due 10 nervous exhaustion.
II Is said there was enmity between the
two brothers. and consequent bitterness
and that IL was OF eleven years standing:
that never since the death OF their father
have they been on intimate terms. This
alleged enmity on the part OF Malcolm is
said TO have been brought ebout by the
fact that the father OF the boys disin-
harffed MaicoInn nd that this artfou On