The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-18
GIVES HIS SIDE OF STORY.
Ed Coleman Says Attempt Was Made
to Murder Him.

Ed Coleman, who for a number OF
months was associated with F. w. Stew
ems here in training bloodhounds in this
city, was said TO have committed suicide
at the home of his sweetheart in Ton
kawa few weeks ago. The Eagle con-
tanned an account of the matter at the
time. 1t was said that Coleman, who
was living at Blackwell at the time. went
to see his sweetheart, but her mother re-
fused to let him see her, and standing
on the doorstep OF her home he shot
himself. Coleman is able TO be out and
is at Blackwell, and gave the following
version of the affair to the Blackwell
News:
There is no truth whatever in the re-
port that l attempted suicide said Mr..
Coleman. ION the contrary, deliberate
attempt was made to murder me. 1t was
on Monday. the 2nd of March. that
called at the Commercial hotel. at Ton
kawa, for the purpose of having a talk
with Miss Gertrude Willhour, whose pa
rents run the hotel. At one time l kept
company with Miss Willhour. but owing
to misunderstanding there was an es-
arrangement between us, and on the day
in question | called at the hotel to talk
the matter over WITH the young 4duS
When l entered the office of the hotel
Mr.. Harris and his wife were in the
hotel office. Mr.. Harris is employed at
Bakers barn here in Blackwell Passing
through the office into the dining room,
entered the parlor, and as l did so
met Mrs. Willhour, who had come out
of the bedroom adjacent to the parlor. L
told her that l desired to speak to her
daughter, but she replied that her
daughter was at Ponca City. l knew
this to be false for | had been talking
over the telephone with her daughter,
and / told her l knew her daughter was
in the city and that l was going to see
her.
Mrs. Willhour then told me that if
would give her my revolver. which l
carried in my pocket, I could see her
revolver and handed ii to her. l then
proceeded to remove my overcoat, AMI
just as l had my coat pulled back over
my shoulders, with my arms back of me,
my hand grasping the cuff of one sleeve
in order to pull my arms out of the
sleeves, she suddenly stepped in front
of me. raised the revolver. and fired point
blank at my heart. the bullet passing
clear through my left lung. just missing
the heart, and lodged under the skin in
my back, whence it was removed by
physician.
Il didn't fall Immediately. but l stag
gered to the sofa. upon which l sank
and thea rolled off on the floor upon my
face. / arose several times and fell I
struggled into the dining room and then
back to the parlor, and as 1 entered the
parlor door | caught hold of a portiere
curtain and again fell. this time upon
my back She stood and looked down at
me while l begged her repeatedly for a
drink OF water, which she would not give
me.
1t was fully a half hour after she shot
me before she left the parlor. As she
passed through the office Mr.. Harris was
still in the house. and he asked her if a
shot had not been fired in the house. but
she made no reply and passed out of the
building. Finally Sheriff Dan Balm and
City Marshal Paul Meade entered the
psrlor. where ] was lying. Mrs Will
hour also came back. The officers looked
for the revolver with which the shoot
ing had been done. and being unable >
find one in the parlor. started into thu
bed room Mrs. Willhour proteste
against them searching the bed room.
but when they told her they were going
to search it for the revolver. she went
with them and drew the revolver on.
from beneath the mattress on the bed.
whore she had concealed It.
Il was then taken across the street %
the Denver house. where I was waited
upon by physicians.