The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-15
tLIFE is SAVED
BY HIS WATCH
William Sutton Fires Bullet at G.
n W. HancOCks Heart.
SECOND PIERCED HIS WRIST
JEALOUSY IS SAID TO BE THE
CAUSE OF THE SHOOTING.
SECOND PIERCED HIS WRIST

A silver watch carried Boz his upper vest
ockct saved the life of O.. W. Ham
- 9ck last night William sutton pro-
pfetor of The Utah rooming house. 26i
south Fifth West street had trouble with
Hancock, who is employed as lueman by
the telephone company and tried 90 Kim
him. Two shots were fired at close range
from .4t-calbcr revolver The first
bullet struck the watch over Hancock
heart, and embedding itself BOZ the works,
went no further The second missile went
through The uuemans right wrist but
broke mo- bones.
After the shooting sutton and his wife
noth disappeared. but the latter soon
returned. Early this morning Sutton gave
himself up 90 the Officers. Hancock
claims that Sutton charged him with be-
ing too friendly with Mrs. Sutton. This.
ne saws. was the cause Of the shooting.
sutton asserts that DE had % order Han
cock t0 leave and the latter drew "a knife
on him. lie shot 20 protect himself is his
excuse.
The shooting occurred q little before
clock According to the story told hy
Hancock sutton on several occasions
lately openly accused his wife of being
unlaithfuL and matters reached climax
when Hancock announced his intention
OF leaving the rOOmiug house last night
10 prevent trouble.
Denies the Accusations.
sutton never IlltA| amy accuse IINIE TO
me-, said Hancock, as he told his story
al the police station "but ] had been
informed that he made such charges
AGAINST me. and 1 decided IL was best
90 leave to avoid trouble. although moth
ing wrong ever trauspired between my
self and Mrs. sutton. Last night sutton
and his wife had "a row, and / decided 90
leave Immediately / owed some rent
AS i did not have money 90 pay H. 1
sent my cousin, Mrs. M0lhe Hancock
4 who works for Mrs Sutton. to the latter
70 arrange about It's payment SO i could
.fave
been made and ] started out Mrs. SUIT
ton came tO the kitchen door and called
10 me, saying that she dld not want me
20 Doe driven ont I'm that way, adding
that need not 60. 40 that Sutton spoke
up and said j could have until tomorrow
Co set out D replied that j guessed ]
could take The rest of the month if 1
wanted to.
Without saying "a word Sutton pulled
gun from his right hip pocket and fired
at me, AZ tine time ] was standing with
iu four feet Of him. ] felt a sting boz my
side and fell 90 the floor. AS I rose Co
my feet he fired second shot. and
felt "a pain I'm my right wrist. / srappled
with Sutton and called for help. but hc
Struggled loose and giving the gun 90 his
mother disappeared through the door.
Watch Probably Saved His Life
The shots aroused the roomcrs and
several meu ran 90 the kitchen where
the trouble occurred, but Sutton had
gone and his wife had also disappeared.
THE police were called and Captain Bur
bldge and several officers responded. The
captain and Detectives Raleigh and
Chase took uu the search for the missing
couple while Hancock was sent 20 The
station
An examination showed that the first
bullet struck Just over Haucocks heart
and lodged in the watch which Doe ear
ried u the upper vest pocket. The watch
was torn 20 pieces but 10 served to keep
the bullet from penetrating the body and
probably causing death. Dr. Green eN-
amlned the wound Boo the wrist and found
that the BUILT had passed between the
bones. not causing any serious injury
Hancock who is "a single man, had been
r0omiug az the Utah house about five
months. According 90 his statements SUIT
ton has never indicated that he had any
thing against him until last night
'He and his wife had row last Fri
day night said Hancock. 'auu De
threatened 90 leave. Again last night
there was "a repetition of the row and
more accusations. That coupled with
The fact that Mrs. Sutton told me not
20 leave. caused the shooting. ] suppose
sutton has no ground whatever 90 make
any charges against me.
officer I'D Davies. al the Rio Grandc
depot. learned that sutton was Iu hiding
near the wards and sent him word by a
person who knew where he was, that
inc had better give himself up sutton
accordingly walked 10 lle ponce slallou
about clock. lie explained MS tclOu
iu running away by stating that Doe was
frightened, because he thought he had
killed Hancock His story of the trouble
. WAS that Hancock had become too
familiar about the place and he had
told him to leave Hancock didn't want
10 20" said sutton, and there was am
argument. Suddenly he drew q knife and
struck me in the face with his fist. ]
thought he was going Co stab me and j
fired
Ms sutton corroborated the story of
her husband.