Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-01-27
KILLED BY HIS OWN HAND.
Pete Hess Uses His Revolver
With Terrible Effect.
SHOT HIS WIFE THREE TIMES
Then Turned the Weapon on Him.
self-The Tragedy the Result
of Jealous Quarrels.

of Jealous Quarrels.
pete Hess. well-known charac-
ter, who for many years lived along
1 the mountain west OF Martinsburg, but
who,recenly removed with his family to
this city, Wednesday afternoon about
Q O'Clock shot and perhaps mortaily
wounded his wife, and then turned
the revolver on himself an inflicted a
wound from which he died almost
: Instantly
The horrible affair took place in the
departments which the Hess family &C.
kcupied in the rear of the second story
|of the building next to the city hall
and was witnessed by at least one OF
the small children Of the couple. No
lone else saw the tragedy, nor heard
|any of the shots from the revolver ex-
Rcept the last one, which sent the soul
(of Hess, unshriven and with black
deed on it, before his Maker.
The first intimation Of the affair
gering down from her room by man
named Adams, who lives in the same
house. He caught her as she was fall
hing, and size stammerred out that Pete
had shot her. Adams took her imme-
diately to the from. of the building
! and into the Office OF Justice Felker.
States Attorney Noll was summoned
and was in the act Of taking her ante
norton statement when word came
that Hess had shot and killed himself.
The woman was then removed to the
Kings Daughters hospital.
When the woman was brought from
the house, covered with blood and in
Ia condition OF collapse, the emergency
Ialarm was sounded at police head
quarters. Uficer Heck responded, and
{drawing his revolver, dashed into the
house and up the steps 90 the Hess
Apartments. As he mounted the stairs
he heard the report of the revolver,
and found Pete sitting on the side of
he bed with the smoking gun in his
land. As the oific grasped the
Weapon and wrenc he'd it from his
Aand. Hess fell over, gasped and was
Asad.
He.had shot himself in the right
side, the heavy bullet blowing its
way through his body and piercing
he heart. On the bed with HIM was
"a small child, who is too young to-
realize the terrible tragedy enacted
before it's eyes.
The shooting took place in a squa
I'd bedroom, and followed a long
eries of guarTels between the couple,
he result of the woman's known in
eldelities and the mans jealousy an
drunkenness. The woman was shot
hree times, in the left arm, left leg
ind left side. The latter is the dan
<erous wound.
Hess and his wife did not live hap
ply together. She was frequently
cen in the company OF other men,
Ind for this Pete would upbraid and
peat her. He would get drunk and
hreaten to kill her, and it was gener-
lily supposed that u tragedy would
Ultimately result from their quarrels
pniy recently he made an effort TO
Jet her arrested, and uhen the OIL
ers refused to interfere he declared
e would end his troubles by killing
he woman. p
Hess recently sold his splaaoT along
he montain, and sinaau1 fsmoval IT,
own he has sno1 16afng about and
|Eipti ns had a suit for divorce
Vnding bat never pushed it. His wife
vas divorced, from her former hus-
,and on chage Of adultery, Hess be-
ng named as correspondent.
The dead man was aged about 40
ears, and the woman rs about the
anne age. There are several small
hiidren.
Al o cluck "Wednesday afternoon the
Tuman was reported az resting as cum
prtabIy as conls be expected bpt she
Jay not recover