The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-26

Anna. They liked each other and the
first call was only followed by many 9TH
ers. which had as their only object
meeting with the young woman.
Sometimes as the season advanced they
took long strolls together in the SHADY
byways of the Jersey town Finally the
young man told Anna Hiidebrand that ne
loved her.
Exactly how much of this declaration
was true cannot be told. Lying on his
cot in the Orange Memorial Hospital some
days after the shooting when his life still
hung in the balance, he declared that he
had never been engaged to the girl and
had not spoken to her of marriage How
ever this may be, he convinced the young
girl that ne loved her. And to her I'M
sophisticated nature there did not seem
to be anything left to say.
For time Anna Hildebrand lived in
a world of rose color in the realm OF
happy laughter and equally happy tears.
Then came the awakening.
Men have a superior faculty of know
ing when the end is reached, which wo-
men never seem to acquire. McCallum
grew tired. His visits became less fire.
quent. His manner changed He was no
longer the ardent wooer.
But Anna Hildebrands love was Of the
kind that does not alter when it altera-
ton finds. AS McCallum grew colder she
tried to win him back. She wrote,
pleaded, threatened, visited him at the
office where he worked and at his board
ing house.
One morning she went to the Gas Com
pany's office and asked for him He tried
to slip out and escape her. but seeing
that she had stationed herself at an angle
which commanded both exits from the
store he made the best of the situation
and walked out to meet her.
They walked away together and Nc
CaIlum met the young woman's re-
proaches for his coldness and her de-
mands that he make reparation with the
placid assurance that he had never the
slightest intention of marrying her.
Angered. Miss Hildebrand demanded the
return of the letters and presents she had
Iavished upon him. McCallum said that
they were at his boarding house and that
he would get them for her.
Together they went to the little house
in Snyder street. where he boarded with
Mrs. G. D. Phllpott. Leaving MISS Hill
debrand downstairs the young man went
ND to his room TO collect the letters.
When he came out the girl was stand
ing near the head of the stairs. About
what happened in the ensuing ten minutes
there are two stories, that of the recre-
ant lover. corroborated by Mrs. Phillpott,
and that of the girl herself
one story says that McCallum informed
Miss Hildebrand CURLY that she could not
have the letters. as it was too much trou-
BILE to collect them.
However, this may be. it is admitted
that Miss Hndebrand suddenly became
very faint. and asked him for a glass
of water.
Come downstairs said McCallum,
coldly. and I'll get it for you"
Then he started TO move away from
the girl who had placed both hands on
his shoulders. The next moment there
was a CLEAN of a revolver in her hand,
a flash. a sudden report and Bernard Nc
CaIIum dropped down on the stairs.
Calmly Miss Hildebrand went down.
stairs, throwing the revolver on the hat
rack in the hall and walked to the police
station to give herself up. 1t is asserted
that she said to Chief McChesney:
4 have shot Bernard McCallum at Mrs.
Phillpotts He deserved it for treating
ME the way he has. If more women
would do as 1 did there would be better
men in the world.
McCallum though his life hung in the
balance for many days, did not die. When
his recovery was regarded certain,
Miss Hildebrand was released on bail
from the county Jail where she had been
imprisoned for fifteen days.
At the trial which followed she told
of his love-making of his subsequent
GOODNESS and said that she had gone to
his office TO make a final plea to him to
marry her. and failing this. to obtain
her letters She had carried revolver
for some time because she regarded her
life as ruined and thought seriously of
ending it. When McCalum had mad
dened her with his scorn she drew the
weapon from her bosom 70 end her own
life, hut as she fred her arm was struck
from behind and the shot pierced the man
she loved.
Why she begged for life imprisonment,
Miss Anna NJ. Hildebrand said:
Il begged the Judge to sentence me
for life. and I am sorry that ne refused
10 do it. The horror of being imprisoned,
shut away from the world. is nothing to
the horror Of coming out again brand
ed as an ex-convict. with reputation gone.
business gone and a feeling that every
eye is turned upon you in suspicion and
accusation.
Il thought of all that the morning 1
was brought up for sentence. so when
Judge Skinner commanded me to stand
before the bar ! pleaded for the seyerest
sentence that could be imposed.
My life up to the time of the shoot
ing was a very quiet one. ! never went
out much. never accepted the company
Of young gentlemen until McCallum came.
I just lived quietly with my grandpaI-
ents until they died, and then took up
Lursing with my mother. after graduating
from the New York POSTGRADUATE Hospi-
tai Training School. Then l met Mccall
lum. and had only known him a year
when trouble overlook me.
Il do not care 70 so into the details
leading UP to the shooting or say why
l went To his house that day. except that
wanted some letters that he had and
accompanied him there to get them. I did
not so there 10 shoot him, nor did l have
it in my heart 10 harm hair Of his head
when that pistol was discharged I was
trying 10 kill myself. and It was an ac-
cident that sent the bullet into his body
Il snapped the pistol twice or three
times under my coat trying to end my
own life: then my arm was jerked back.