The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-23
TRAGEDY OVER AN
OPEN DOOR
WaIIine Kills Brett in an
Atlanta House.
This Man Undresses Before His Open
Door, Said Mrs. Brett, Rooming
Opposite, to Her
Husband.
Atlanta Constitution.)

quarrel about an open Ded room
door in "a boarding house at No. &c
East Mitchell street. ended Sunday
morning by Andrew a. Walline, SUI
perintendent of the Florodora Tag
Company, shooting to death Frank E.
Brett, a travelling salesman.
The killing occurred OH the first floor
of the boarding house at 1850 O'Clock.
The only person who claims to have
been an eyewitness was a negro cham
bermaid, and she says she saw Brett
catch hold of Waline and strike him
just before the shooting took place.
Two shots were fired in rapid sue
cession, only one taking effect. The
ball struck Brett in the left cheek just
below the articulation of the jawbone,
and. ranging downward, passed
through the base of the brain or the
spinal column and embedded itself be-
hind the neck and 5 inches below the
right ear.
Brett fell in the hallway, with his
face turned half downward and his
left arm under his head. Two persons
were a t his side in a few seconds after
he was shot, but he was dead. His
death must have been instantaneous.
Walked Away From Dead Man.
After firing the two shots and see
ing his antagonist lying upon the floor,
Walline walked toward the front hall,
and assembled the stairway to the Sc
cond floor, where he entered his room
and remained until the police arrived.
Between the time he Killed Brett and
when the officer appeared on the scene
he leaned over the baniSterS looked at
the assembled crowd a moment and
called to q negro boy to bring him his
breakfast.
Walline was arrested by Patrolman
h. tod hi i'm 70 hn
barracks.
The coroner held an inquest within
two hours after the killing occurred.
The verdict was that Wallne was or
dered held for further investigation.
The prisoner did not appear before
the jury and his statement, made to a
reporter of The Constitution after
wards, was simply that he had Killed
Brett i'm self defense.
There were only very few persons
who knew any facts that would throw
light upon the affair and the chief Wit
ness was the wife of the dead man.
Her statement gives the first part OF
the story and what led up to the kill
ing Just what occurred at the time |
of the killing only Walline knows and
his lips have been closed by advice of
his attorneys.
Left His Door Open.
the best Of terms for some time, al |
though. according to Mrs Brett's |
story, the two men met as recently as |
last Saturday night and exchanged |
friendly greeting. The cause of the |
trouble between the men was habit
which Walline is said to have had of
leaving his bed room door open when
he was undressed His room was di
rectly across the hall from Brett's. and
Mrs. Brett had complained of Wal
line leaving his door open. On two or
three occasions Brett had spoken to
Walline about the matter, so Mrs. Brett
states and on last Thursday Brett went
to Walline, and after speaking to him
about the open door, returned TO MIS-
Brett and said:
II have Just told Walline about un-
dressing with his door open, and II
said to him if he did it again L was
going to whip hell out of him.
on Friday Walline did not speak to-
Mrs. Brett when he passed her, but on
Saturday night Mrs. Brett states, the
two met on the stairway and spoke to-
each other.
Yesterday morning shortly before 8
o'clock Walline and Brett met alone in
the rear hallway on the first floor OF
the house. They were heard to talk
for several minutes in a loud and eX-
cited tone, and suddenly two pistol
shots rang out ana brett lay ueeu upon
the floor.
Whether the old quarrel about the
open door had been resumed, no one
can say.
Brett was unarmed SO far as the
officers or the coroner could ascertain
No weapon was found on his body, and
there had been no chance for
weapon to be taken from him after he
was shot.
of the story that led to the tragedy is
Mrs Brett and her statement, made
to The Constitution reporter, was as
follows:
Story of the Dead Mans Wife.
"Nearly. ever since Frank and / were
married Mr.. Walline had been acting
very badly about leaving his bed room
door open, so any one passing IN the |
hall could see him undressed. AS long
ago as ten weeks he left his door open,
and one night when Frank and l re-
turned from the baseball game we
saw Mr. Walline in his room undreSsed
and with his gas lit. Frank called to
him to close his door, and he rep1ed
by giving the door q slam. A snort
While afterwards / saw Mr.. Walllne
standing by his WaShStand IN MS UNI
derclothes and with his door VIDE
open. / told lady boarder about IT,
but ana not report II 10 FRANK, DecduSe
did not wish to cause trouble. ON
another occasion the same thing oc-
Cured, and L told Frank about it. He
spoke to Mr.. Walline and we thought |
the thing would not occur any more.
ON last Thursday Mr.. Walline again
left his door open, while he was un-
dressed. | was getting tired of such /
carelessneS, and 1 spoke to Frank
about it again. Frank went to Mr..
Walline and he afterwards told me
that he had stated TO Mr.. Walline that
if he left his door open again he would
whip HI out of him. Friday morn
ing Mr.. Walline passed me and did not
speak. L mentioned this to Frank, but
he laughed and told me not to mind it.
Saturday night as Frank and | were
walking up the stairway to our room,
we met Mr.. Walline and he and my
husband sp )ke very pleasantly. Frank
retired much earlier than / did Satur-
day night, as | had to sit up and sew
on a dress This morning when ]
awoke he was dressing, and he told
me to go back to sleep and he would
call me in time fer breakfast [ did
as he advised. / was suddenly aroused
by hearing two pistol shots downstairs.
n rs,fr flay0 L. 4