Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-01

plSCOl SnOC, ana outlet penetrated
the door, missing DR.. Walston's head
about two inches. The speeding but
let broke several slivers from the
panel and these struck DR.. Walston.
but did not injure him. The inmates
of the house were panic stricken and
surmising DR.. Walston had been shot,
cries were heard from help. DR.. Walls
ton restored partial quiet when he re-
entered the room and manifested HIM
self in the flesh, unhurt Returning to
the hall he found the bullet, which had
collided with the plastering and fallen
to the floor
A moment after he fired the shot,
Hammond was seen to run down Sixth
avenue toward School street, jump in
to his automobile, which he had left
at convenient place, and ride away
at full speed. DR.. Walston hurried to
the police station where he swore out
an information charging Hammond
with assault with intent to murder
The information was drawn by Walter
McHenry, whom the doctor had awak-
ened from sleep to accompany him to
the station. Meanwhile, Hammond
drove his automobile to police head
quarters and surrendered himself.
Judge Silvara, who was in the court
room working on his books, placed
Hammond under $4,000 bonds, which
were afterward reduced to $500 and
furnished.
Mrs. Hammond's Story.
Jesse and were married in Indi-
ana, fourteen years ago." said Mrs.
Hammond, detailing the shooting and
the incidents leading up to it, to rep
resentative for the Leader, last night.
I'VE have one child, Ralph, thirteen
years of age. He is staying with my
mother and is attending school. Ipro-
cured a divorce and was given the GUS
tody of Ralph, though Mr.. Hammond
has given it out among his friends here
and at Ottumwa, that he instituted and
secured the divorce. He has called
here repeatedly and threatened me.
Only two weeks ago / took a pistol
from his hip pocket when he called
at the house to see me. l am afraid
of him. Why did l not have him
placed under bonds to keep the peace?
Well, thought could get along with
out resorting to that He has no right
to bother me. now, that we are divorc-
ed Yet he has persisted in annoying
and prosecuting me with his attentions.
have tried to avoid him, but he would
persist in coming to the house to talk
to me. He has threatened several
times to kill me. He is insanely ieaI-
GUS of DR.. Walston. Not long time
ago, he swore out a search warrant
for the doctors office and. accompa-
MED by policeman, broke into the Of
flee late at night, claiming that the
doctor and / were inside. There was
no one in the office, and, in my opinion,
he knew it. The fact that he knew DR..
and myself were in the room
this evening shows that he must have
gone partially around the house and
looked in at window. suspect that
he would have shot at lis had it not
been that Mrs. Aliens daughter was
sitting near the window and he might
have killed her."
WaIston Refuses to Talk.
DR.. Walston refused to discuss the
shooting last evening, referring the re-
porters invariably to his attorney for
any information requested
Hammond Tells His Story.
Hammond, who came to Des Moines
from Ottumwa two or three years ago.
resides at 932 Fifth street. After he
had procured the services of Attorney
Ethridge and given bond for his an
pearance for trial, he was seen bv
for The Leader. He
was perfectly sober and discussed the
shooting sanely.
II went to the house." he said, CUP
on the invitation of Mrs. Hammond. II
satisfied myself, last December that
she was not true wife, having, in
company with Shorty Peters, caught
her in DR.. Walstons office at night. I
told her / would refuse to live with
her. We agreed that she should be-
gin an action for divorce. She did SO
from me. / gave her the custody of
Ralph, but later sent him to Atchi-
son, Kan, where he is attending
school at my expense.
81 had intended resuming custody Of
the boy and had had several confer
ences with her regarding the matter.
The last time we talked it over she
told me to call at the house last even
ing, and she would agree to some ar
rangement for the disposition of the
child. When, in response to her own
suggestion, called, a woman who
came to the door, told me Mrs. Ham
mond was not at home. I had seen
her sitting inside and when the woman
told me she was not in l replied that
she was not telling the truth. brush
ed past her and was going into the
room, when / was assaulted. thrown
to the floor and elected from the
house. / went to the corner of Sixth
and School, where round police
man. told the officer | desired him
to accompany me to Mrs. Aliens
house to see Mrs. Hammond. The Of
ficer complied with the request, and
was standing directly behind me when
l fired the shot at DR.. Walston. When
| went to the door the second time,
DR.. Walston answered my knock. I
told him desired to see Mrs. Ham
mond. He replied:
"'Youll not see her. Do you under
stand that?'
81 replied that l had not come there
to see him, but to confer with Mrs.
l told him I wanted to see
her and that would see her
"'Well, Cd d-n you, you'll not