The Washington times., 1905-01-20
WRIGHT DEATH
IS MYSTERIOUS
Mine Owner Shot in Room
at New York Hotel.
Or. PARDEE IS DETAINED
Before Dying the Wounded Man Said
Shooting Was Accidental, But
Coroner Has Doubts.

NEW YORK. Jan. 20.-Major Jacob
Ridgeway Wright, prominent mine
owner and promoter of Wilkesbarre, Pa,
was mystcriously shot in his room in
the Imperial Hotel early this morning
and died at the New York Hospital at
II O'Clock.
DR.. Howard a. Pardee of 20 West
Forty-seveuth Street, who was in
Wright's room when the shooting occur
red, was detained by the police. and
Was later arraigGed before Magistrate
Crane in the Jefferson Market police
court. h was paroled in the custody OF
his counsel until tomorrow.
Coroner Scholer, who examined Wright
In the hospital, says that the wounded
1nen refused to make any statement fur
ther than the shooting was accidental
The bullet entered Wrights left side
about two inches above the hip bone
and passed through the body. Coroner
Scholer says he does not see how it
was possible for Wright tn shoot him
Self.
Hurried to Hospital.
The shooting occurred about $40
o'clock this morning The first known
OF it was when DR.. Pardee rushed down
to the office of the hotel and Informed
the night clerk that Wright had at
McDonough of the West Thfrtieth
summoned, and he sent in a call for
an ambulance. This was responded to
by DR. Gillespie. of the New York Hos
pital. who finding the wounded man
stin alive. hurried at once with his
pa atient to the hospital
Patrolman McDonough in the mean
time looked about the bed for the
weapon He finally found it in a bureau
drawer. with the. cartridges extracted
and lying beside it 1t is a type that
is guaranteed not to discharge acci-
dentally
Mr. Wright was found by the patrol
Dr. Pardee explained that he himself
had gone to the foot of the bed, and
that his back was toward Wright.
Wright got up, he said, and took out
the revolver which. he said, went off
accidentally DR.. Pardee says he then
took up the weapon and put it into
the drawer then notifying the night
clerk OF the hotel that a man was shot.
Dr. Pa1dee Held.
The sergeant at the police station
told DR.. Paroee that he must be held
for the present, and locked him in cell
pending his arraignment.
AT the Imperial Hotel the assistant
manager OF the hostelry gave the fol-
lowing version Of the affair:
Wright has been in New York for
a month He always carried a revol-
yer. Last night he was not feeling
well and called in DIR. Pardee and asked
him to stay all night At $40 o'clock
his revolver, which accidentally explod-
ed,Sthe bail entering the body Wright
was conscious and told the assistant
manager that Dr. Pardce was not to
blame. DIS the shooting was an acci-
dent.
DR. Pardee's Story.
Dr. Pardee was arraigaed before
Magistrate Crane, and after a brief
hearing was paroled in the custody Of
his counsel.
To the magistrate DIR. Pardee said
that Wright telephoned him at 10
o'clock last night and asked him to
come to the Imperial Hotel to see him.
He said Wright was a drinking man,
but that recently he had been some
what abstemious in this respect be-
cause of nervousness. Wright, he de-
clared, was also addicted to the use Of
morphine.
The doctor went to the hotel with his
instruments and made a few injections.
Wright told him he was very nervous,
and wanted a doctor to remain with
him Wright undressed and went to bed
and the doctor remained in the room.
About $50 o'clock this morning Wright
told Pardee he wanted to show him
something. He got up. went to the
bureau and took paper and a re-
voIver from it and then went back to
bed.
The doctor said he was at work COL
lecting mis- tools when suddenly he heard
a shot. He turned around and saw
Wright bleeding from a wound in the
left side He then called TO the hotel
people When he returned to the room
he asked Wright how it happened.
.It's ali right. It's al right:
DR.. Pardee said he had been Wright's
physician for the past three or four
years. and for the last month he had
been with him two or three nights each
week.
DR.. Pardee said that Wright had a