Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-21


home, corner Of Center and Linn
streets, by firing a bullet from a 81
caliber revolver into her breast. AS
soon as she became rational, two hours
after the shooting, she regretted the
act in that she asked her doctor to do
everything in his power to save her.
Mrs. Cooks condition is critical, as
would naturally be expected under such
circumstances, and the chances are all
against her recovery.
s This afternoon the patient was not, so
we'll, a change for the worse having
set In early this morning. Her heart
action is very rapid and weak, and the
probabilities are that the bullet went
close enough to the heart to puncture
the pericardium. At any rate the
heart action would indicate such to
have been the case. While there Is a
possibility that Mrs. Cook will recover.
that possibility Is very faint.
"A quarrel with her husband, who was
late in getting home Saturday night,
was the cause OF Mrs. Cooks rash act,
according to her own statement, that
Of her husband. and also Mr.. Cooks
mother. Mrs. Josie Wolcott. A revolver
was handy, owing to the fact that Mrs.
Cook is accustomed to sleeping with
one under her pillow, taking that pre-
caution because Mr.. Cooks business
keeps him out until late at night, Mr..
Cook was later than usual in returning
home Saturday night, and his wife took
another, and, while Mr.. Cook had gone
to the bath room, Mrs. Cook arose.
stepped in front Of the mirror of her
dresser, and fired two shots. The first
one went wild, but the second tore a
gaping wound in the breast. Mrs Cook
fell to the floor In polo Of blood, and
fell to the floor in q pool OF blood, while
the frightened husband lifted her to
the bed. DR.. III. III. Nichols, the FAM
lily physician, was sent for. and arrived
as soon as possible, at $3.50. DIR. M. u.
Chesire also assisted in the examina-
ton and the efforts to resuscitate the
patient.
Ball Clear Thru Body.
It was found that the ball entered
the breast at a point about the exact
center. had ranged to the left. the
course naturally taken with the gun
held by right handed person, and
passed entirely thru the body. The
bullet missed by only q bare inch or
two the heart and larger arteries, go-
ing too high to cause instant death.
The upper lobe Of the left lung was
penetrated, and the ball came out just
at the outer border of the left should
er blade.
Suffered Severely From Shock.
4 Mrs. Cook suffered severely from
profound shock, but by two hours aft
err the shooting had rallied sufficiently
to ask for a drink OF water and an
swer questions. She admitted doing
the shooting, said she was angry at
the time, and stated that she and her
husband had quarreled. While she
expressed no direct regret at having
committed the act, she did express a
wish to the doctors to do everything
in their power to save her, which
showed that she realized her folly and
was anxious to live.
II A Victim Of Hystsria.
The only excuse offered for such a
rash act on the part Of the young
woman is that she Is victim, at
times, of severe nervousness, accom-
panied by hysteria, and when suffering
from these spells her mind is not who'll
~ balanced. Her doctor has been call
ed at previous times when she would
be stricken with these attacks, and
found her irrational. DR.. Nichols firm
ly believes that her mental state was
such, at the time she fred the shot,
that she did not realize just what she
was doing, and that, had she been her
normal self, she would not have made
any such attempt on her life. Mr..
Cook was fairly Frustrated by the
shock of the sad affair, and is in con-
slant attendance at the bedside Of his
wife.
Is Beautiful Young Woman.
Mrs. Cook is beautiful, and Is gen.
orally considered to be one of the
handsomest young women In the city.
She has always been very popular in
the social set in which she moved, and
all Of her many friends, and those of
her husband, are shocked beyond meas
ure that such a deplorable affair should
have happened. Mrs. Cook is daugh-
ter Of Mr.. and Mrs. Jacob waltemeyer,
40S North First avenue. and is but %
years Of age.
Mrs. Cook has been married to her
present husband only since June /, 1905.
The wedding proved a surprise to their
friends, as the plans of the couple had
been kept a profound secret, and they
attended social function, Just after
the ceremony had been performed, and
were supposed to be unmarried. The
wedding was not known until it was
announced by the paper the following
day.
Mrs. Cook was married first, as
Maude lone waltemeyer, to Delos E.
Way, Of Oskaloesa, on Sept. 80. 1908.
Mr.. Way died in this city Nov. II, 1904.
In the District Court.
Because jurors could not get to the
city sooner, on account of the delayed
trains, court did not convene today un-