The evening world., 1903-12-07
WOOD PRAISES WIFE
MURDERED BY FITZGERALD
Name of Woman Slain in a Hotel
by Sales Agent of a Glass Manufac-
turing House, Who Then Killed Him
self, Defended by Man She Deceived.

mrs. Matilda Wood, the young and pretty wife of a printer and the
rnotfrr of four weeks old baby was shot and killed to-day in the Gala
van Hotel, Williamsburg, by Lester c. Fitzgerald, a sales agent for a glass
manufacturer at No. A Murray street, Manhattan.
s4asAfhr killing the woman the man turned the pistol on himself and
bewfis brains out. AT frstit was believed that the couple were man and
wife, as theyhad registered as "Leser =. Fitzgerald End wife,"
The bodies were lying side by side in Montenes morgue, in North
Third street, when the identification was made by Detective Ocker, who
had known the young woman.
Going to the home of the young woman, at No. 20 Cooper street,
Williamsburg, the detective found her mother, Mrs. Backer, who verified
the Identification Mrs; Backer said:
SHE WAS X OF HIN.
q" did not know Fitzgerald, but my daughter did. He had been in
the habit of meeting her. She told me a short time ago that she was
afraid of him; that he wanted her to run away and desert her home for
him. About 5 O'Clock last evening she went out, saying she was going
To- the drug Store to get medicine for her monthod baby. She did not
come back, but a drug clerk delivered the medicine she had purchased.
That is the last we heard of her.
RI MWhen we read of the tragedy to-day we surnised that Matilda was
The woman because Of the mention of Fitzgera1d's name. There was
nothing wrong between them. She was killed simply because she would
not run away with him."
Mrs. Wood-was twentyseven years old and remarkably pretty. She
had been married seven years. Her husband worked at night, but it was
believed that she was devoted to him.
What happened in the room where the double shooting took place
wilFever remain a mystery. There was a quarrel, becau;e angry voices
were heard bv the occupants of other rooms before they marked the shots
which sent two lives into eternity. A scream came tirst-a wornan's
agonized cry for help-and then swiftly two reports of a revolvers firing
Miss Emily Bruce, who occupied a room on the floor where the killings
happened, peeped through the pkeyhole of the Fitzgerald apartment soon
after the las, Shot was fired, and she saw lying on the floor, near the bed,
Observation-Disclosures forms OF Fitzgerald and the woman whom he had
SIN. r, &C.,. ri ---L-~--
WE'RE YON ALL lei
Miss Bruce was the one. who called to the hotel office to send help
Fl cries soon brought medical aid and the police to the scene of the
~tagedyabut nothing could be done for the unfortunate couple.
The assumption that jealousy caused he shooting is based upon, let
ters TtofTd upon the persons of both. They show that the man
wasHeager for a reconciliation. In one writing of rf~tzgeraldsI
he asked the woman to meet hin. last night at the corner of Cooper street
and roadway. The meeting that he pleaded for was granted, and it was
after a long consultation, according to witnesses, tina. the pair went 10 the
CALLAHAN. .T 4
'@AH. j. Wood, the husband of the murdered woman, after Identifying
the body in the Morgue, said:
Il met Fitzgerald a year ago at a social club to which we both belonged
He seemed a pea-cnt fellow, although knew him but slightly. I fire.
quenty saw him in the neighborhocd of my home, however, and only the
other day called my wifes attention to the peculiar fact Of my meeting
him s often in Cooper street. SO far as 1 knew then, Mrs Wood was not
acquainted with him.
II believe in my wife absolutely. l cannot understand why she went
with Fitzgerald to the Hotel Galavan, but 1 am sure that her purpose was
Innocent and that the tragedy resulted because she defended herself from
his advances" y