The daily sentinel., 1906-06-16
MYSTERY IN SHOOTING;
WOMAN SHOT IN BREAST
Second Visit of Alleged Burglar at Grand Ave.
nue. Home Almost Proves Fatal Much Mvs.
terry Surrounding Affair and Officers
Non-Plussed at Cause of Burglary.
Said to Be a Love ENHANCEMENT.

Of the details of his appearance ow-
ing to the darkness. The big nickel
plated pistol stood out very plain
Soon after the shooting Or. Hunter
came over from her homo across the
street and later Drs. Abbott and Day
We're called who dressed the wound.
The bullet entered the right shoulder
drilling though the joint without
breaking a bone and emerging from
the opposide side The bullet was
found across the room with a little
silver Of bone in the end. The doc
tors say the wound is very forum
ate one and will not be of a serious
nature.
The local police scout at the idea
of an attempt at burglary or an as
sault from what evidence they say
they have at their command. They
were unable to find any footprints
about the yard or any signs in any
of the rooms which showed than any
part OF the house had been ransack-
ed. They say that the fact that some
half an hour elapsed after their en-
trance in the house before the shot
was fired, giving any burglar plenty
of time to escape, and the well known
truth that no professioal horsebreak-
er will shoot unless cornered or plac-
ed in tight pinch. and that this man
would have had TO wait several min
utes at the back door before he got
the chance 10 fire the shot makes Ii
seem to be unprofessional on the
part Of the burglar for such a story
to be the condition.
The sleuths say that If Mrs Peter
son was really assaulted by man
she must tell them something of her
past life to furnish some elew to work
upon, as it is utterly foolish to sup
pose that the ordinary transient house
thief, a character almost unheard Of in
Grand Junction should be attracted
to the modest little dwelling on
Grand avenue simply for motives of
gain.
Chief Rogers of the fire depart
ment who answered the telephone
call last evening and who spent tho
larger part of the night at the scene
of the shooting said this morning:
"If the shooting last night was
really an assault, hope we shall be
able to find the perpetrator, but !
am afraid that It would be impos-
sible unless Mrs. Peterson is willing
to tell us something of her past his
tory in order to furnish some clew
upon which to build up a theory of
! tf1e crime. There was absolutely
nothing about the house which would
suggest the visit of a burglar. and no
traces could be found about the yard
of any man intent upon taking her
| life. Besides any man who was in
tent upon murder, or even in case
of assault, would not get so far from
a vital spot as the tip of the right
shoulder. while shooting at so close
a range that the burning powder
blackened and ignited the dress goods
of her waist.
'On the other hand if it is not &
case of burglary assault. believ'
II should be made known for IT VII
ouiet the minds of women who are
in many homes in Grand Junction. 4
feat of burglars exists generally
among all women and such an out
come as last night adds horror tt
that fear. If they only knew 1t, th'
ordinary burglar is generally the las
man 10 shoot. and never hangs arounC
a kitchen door for half an hour wheI
he might be on his way. Such an al
fair as that of last night Away
alarms neighborhood and shonlt
there be no cause for such an alarm
/ hope the officers will be able tt
show Il. -.
when asked whether the wounI
might not easily have been self IN
aictqd Drs. Day and Abbott who at
tended the woman, said that whil'
tbey paid no attention TO the manne
of the accident, simply hearing tn
story that the woman had been shot
vet there in nothing in the nature o
the wound that would'make 1t impos
1 slble TO suppose that the wound ma
been self-inhicted. lin TACT they sai'
II might easily have been seli-lhIic,
ed BY holding the gun in the lei
hand.
N