New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-15
POLICE CALL IT MURDER.
Mrs. Noble Insists She Shot Her
Husband by accident.

Mrs Josephine Leighton Noble. who is accused
of having shot and killed her husband, Patton Noble
again asserted her innocence of the charge yester
day in her cell in Long Island City. James o'Brien,
a keeper. who was an old friend of Patton Noble,
and also is we'll acquainted with Mrs. Noble, had
short conversation with her in the administra-
ton building the part of the county jail in which
the women prisoners are kept.
1T was purely accidental" she said i was
putting away some summer clothing in trunk,
when my husband came in. He took on his coat
waIstcoat and neckte, and was taking on MS
shoes, I think, when / pearl handed revolver
in the trunk and took it out. My husband said.
Josie don't fool with that and he came toward
me TO get possession OF the weapon. We were
having a playful struggle for the revolver, wneni
to my horror, it discharged and my husband
fell to the floor. l ran toward him to assist him.
still holding the revolver. and as did So it went
off a second time. Then l went downst RS and
told the people there what had happened
Captain Kemp AID Patrelman Deboe. OF the
Seventy-hfth Precinct say there Is no mystery IN
the case While admitting that their charge OF
murder cannot be proved by any eyewitness Of the
shooting Mrs Noble having been the only person
in the apartment with her husband they say that
there is overwhelming amount OF circumstantiai
evidence, borne out by certain established facts
utterly at variance with the accident story of Mrs
Noble Her sister, Miss Leonora Leighton Of No.
IS Vernon-ave Yesterday had permission to spend
several hours with her and there was an affecting
scene in the cell
oh Joe how did it nappen?' was the only
phrase heard as the sisters, weeping Historically
met at the cell door. confused intermIngling Of
voices prevented more of the conversation being
overheard When Miss Leighton emerged from the
jail she made only the following statement:
NY sister says the shooting was entirely acct
will add for myself that do not believe Joe would
hurt fly. let alone injure Pate. whom she loved
else in the world. I have often heard her say 50.
They were exceptionally affectionate couple.
would puTpOSely 1n1ure a hair of PaJeS
head.
The Leighton family of which Captain Thaddeus
O. Leighton aged sea commander, is the head
consists of the father and mother Mrs Noble;
Leonora, seventeen years old: Mabel twelve and
Gertrude seven years old. All members Of the
family entertained a warm feeling of regard fo~
Payton Noble whose geniality and neverfailing
good him friends wherever he went.
It appears that the revolver with which the
shooting was done, while in Mobiles possession, did
not in reality belong to him. George GugeI OF
Long Island City. after quarrel with his brother
William B. Gugel, last March. secured a revolver
from his home, went TO his brothers office, and.
as alleged fired two shots at William. neither Of
which proved fatal The shooting not made
the cause Of court prosecution. although the re-
Volver was taken from GugeL The latter appeared
who chief clerk of the ma gtstrates court. and
demanded that the revolver be returned to him. He
property clerk and that he could not have il again.
Instead however of sending the pistol to the prop
erty clerk. Noble took it home.
The police say it is Impossible that both shots
should have been accidental or that the first shot
could have been fired while the two were struggling
for possession OF the revolver in that event the
mans clothing must have been sCOrched.
Mrs Mobiles eye has distinct discooraton, evi-
IDENTIFY from recent blow. but her husband
friends say they scarcely credit him with
striking her. regardless of the provocaton. 1t is
believed probable that the funeral of Noble will be
held to-day and that the body will be cremated al
though all information was refused at the house
last night.
Mrs. Noble will he arraigned before Magistrate
Matthew J. Smith. in the courtroom in which she
had hpen fTa11lp vi VII zen laT a
chief clerk on Wednesday November %. She will
secure counsel meantime