The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-25
SHOOTS AND DROPS
ELEVEN STORIES
Detroit Man Wounds Young
Woman and Plunges to
His Own Death

DETROIT, Mich, June 24.-Charles
A. Swayse,i employed by life insur-
ance company and former assistant su-
perintendent of the Detroit house of
correction, today shot Miss Effie Al
word twice while the couple were in a
private office in the company's suite on
the eleventh floor of the Chamber of
Commerce building and then jumped
from the window himself He died as
he was carried into the lobby of the
building. Miss Alvord was shot in the
neck and wrist, but is not fatally hurt
Miss Alvord drove up to the Cham
Der of Commerce in an automobile, ac-
companied by man. She went to the
eleventh floor, and entering the office
of the life insurance company, asked to
have a private interview with Mr..
SWayse. She was shown into a small
private office, where Swayse joined her,
shutting and locking the door, In a
few moments the other persons il the
Office heard struggle, then screams
which were followed by pistol shots.
Manager Mccall, of the agency, rushed
against the door of the private room
and broke it open. Miss AIvord was
PROSTATE on the floor, her hair dis
heveled, her waist torn and blood pour
ing from the wounds in her neck and
wrist. Through the open window Mr..
Mccall could see Swayse's hands
clutching the window ledge. They were
in view for only a moment. Then
Swayse let go and his body went whirl-
ing down through the air. 1t hit sew
eral wires and turned over twice, strik-
ing on the face and chest. A bullet
wound in his nose showed that he had
also shot himself before taking the
plunge.
Tries to Throw Girl Out
Miss Alvord is an employe of a sew
ing machine company, but worked at
the house of correction when Swayse
was assistant superintendent there.
Her home is said to be at Saginaw,
Mich. Occupants of building across
the street from the Chamber of Com
merce say that they saw Swayse at
tempt to throw Miss Alvord out Of the
window. Her head and shoulders were
across the ledge and she was fighting
desperately. Then the couple disap-
peared from the window and the shots
rang out, followed by Swayse's plunge.
The man with whom Miss Alvord
drove up to the building was ]. B. Ter
ry, an employe of the same sewing
machine company that employed Miss
Alvord. At the womans boarding
house it was stated that Miss Alvord
and Terry had been married for several
months. On the contrary, Miss Alvord
sent word to the reporters, through the
physician who dressed her wounds at
the hospital, that she was not married
to Terry, but was engaged to him. Yes
terday was the young woman's TWENTY
eighth birthday, and she told the phv-
sician that SWayse sent her a telephone
message that he was going to shoot
her as birthday present. She said she
went to SWayse's office today to break
with him. He had been threatening.
she said, to write to the mother of her
sweetheart and tell her that Miss AL
word was not the kind of a girl her son
should marry. She says that she went
TO the office today to tell him to go
ahead with his letter if he pleased to do
SO and then finally break with him.
Supt. Mcdonnell, Of the house of cor
rection, states that it was the inti-
macy between Swayse and Miss Alvord
that caused him to discharge them
both. Intimacy, he said, gradually grew
While they were fellow employees at the
institution, and while Miss Alvord was
visiting Swayse's home frequently as
friend of his wife's.
Probably Not Suicide
1t is not certain that Swayse delib-
erately jumped from the eleventh.
story window. 1t is thought by many
that when he heard the door of the
private office being broken in he crawl
ed out On the window ledge and en-
deavored to hang by his hands in a
mad attempt to escape death. Marks
in the dust on the window ledge show
where his fingers gradually dragged
across the ledge until his hold was lost.
This is taken to indicate that he did
not intend to jump. Swayse was fifty
three years old and leaves a widow and
two children.
Continued on Second Page