Rock Island Argus., 1902-10-04
WOULD MURDER WIFE
Mrs. Ben Porter is SIashed
With Razor Welded by
Her Husband.
DESPERATE STRUGGLE AT HOME
AssaiIant is Missing and May Have
Committed Sui
eide.

wife. who conduct a restaurant at
1911 Second avenue, came to head
| last evening in an assault with muir
derous intent by the@husband, when
he attempted to cut his wife's throat
with razor.
Murder was prevented by the deS-
perate resistance of the woman and
the prompt assistance of boarders in
the house who were attracted by her
screams.
For months there has been more
or less domestic discord and Monday
last Mrs. Porter had her husband ar
rested for being drunk and disorder
ly about the place. He was let off
with a light fine and since that time
has not been drinking.
Wanted Revenge.
He appears. however, to have been
cherishing the thought of revenge for
having been placed in the hands of
the law, and yesterday intimated to
his wife that neither she nor himself
would long be in the land of the liv
ing.
As she had grown accustomed to
such talk. Mrs. Porter thought little
of it. Last evening it became evident
that the man was more than usually
perturbed. 1t was about IL o'clock
that Mrs. Porter heard someone down
stairs in the restaurant, which was
locked, and she went down to inves-
tigate.
There she found her husband tax
ing sandwiches out of the case and
placing them on Il platter. She re-
monstrated with him and presently
started toward the rear of the room
He followed. and noting something
unusual in his actions, she became
alarmed and turned to pass him and
return up stairs. As she passed he
caught her and followed to the mar
row hall at the foot of the staircase.
There he struck at her throat with n
razor that he had carried concealed
in his hand
Makes Deadly Attack
Three times he tried. each time
cutting the back of her neck. Then
she turned and grappled with him,
seizing hold of the razor handle,
which was broken in pieces in the
struggle.
BY this time the boarders had be
come aroused, and William Foote,
who roomed near the head of the
stairway. came TO the rescue. Porter
then released his hold on his wife
and fed into the alley in the rear OF
the building. carrying with him the
blade of the razor.
The police were notified at once and
Il thorough search was made. but he
had not been located this afternoon.
Members of the family and the police
are inclined to think he has suicided.
Wounds Dressed.
DR.. {. T. Foster was called to care
for Mrs. Porter. who was bleeding
profuseIy from the cuts in her neck
and on her right hand. where she had
grabbed the blade of the razor. 1t
was found that the blade had failed
to reach a vital part and none of the
larger arteries had been severed. The
incisions were made on the left side
and six stitches were sufficient to
close them. Today Mrs. Porter is
able TO be about the house and direct
her business affairs.
OFTEN Threatened Her Life.
Mrs. Porter says that her life has |
often been threatened by her hus-
band. She declares that it was his |
attacks upon her that brought about |
her condition a couple of months agn
when she was adjudged insane and
committed to the Watertown hospi-
tai. Upon being separated from the
cause of her trouble she speedily re-
covered and has been home several
weeks.
\ week ago Porter was drinking
heavily. using the funds of the estab-
which belongs to Mrs. Por-
ter and of which he was temporarily |
i'm charge. When he was arrested
Mrs. Porter took charge of
affairs and from then on had refused
to give him money with which to buy
drink Where he was violent before
and made "A number of assaults upon
his wife. he became quiet and since |
he evidently had been plan
ming the deed of last night.
The razor he used belonged to Il |
boarder, Wellington Martin, and he
secured il during the evening. An
examination of the premises after the
attempt had been made to cut Mrs |
Porter's throat showed that he had |
tampered with the fastenings ON all |
of the doors leading out of the build |
ing so that they could not be locked !
just what his object could have been, |
unless he was planning to escape af- |
ter his contemplated crime, is not |
known.
Jumped In River. Perhaps.
number of persons are witnesses
to the fact that Porter has repeated |
ly threatened to kill himself. Gener-
ally he was under the influence of Ii |
quor when he did so and little was
thought of it. He is known to have
declared he would jump into the river
and by many this is believed to have
been the course he adopted. There
also appears to be good ground for
the belief that he has not been alto