The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-11
Oeah Of Millionaire Whitley Was
Well Discovered
|LLEs|T|MATt son do THE DEED
TWO LEGITIMATE SONS or ON.
DON MAGNATE KNEW MOTH.
ING OF FATHERS SIN.

still discussing the mystery surround
mig the murder few weeks ago of
| William Whitley. the greatest retail
merchant of London, by a son whose
existence was not known to any one
but the father whom he killed.
| Il am Cecil Whiteley," the slayer
said at the hospital. Il shot my father.
him timely warning"
The two legitimate sons of Whitley
deny any knowledge of the romance
Of their fathers life, so tragically ex-
posed.
Whiteley was separated from his
wife. 1t is said that the young man
who shot the merchant was his illegi-
innate son, and that it was on account
Of his mother that the merchant and
his wife separated.
In the pocket of the young mans
clothes was found a note reading:
William Whitley is my father. This
| twOfOld tragedy is due to his refusal
of a request which is perfectly reason
able. RIP"
A more dramatic and sensational set
ting for the tragedy could not have
been arrangd. The great store, known
to all American visitors to London
! with it's thousands of employees, was
thronged with shoppers, chiefly women
at the busiest hours of the day.
Visit Of Young Man.
| Whitley, the hard headed old mer-
chant, feared by his employees and un-
approachable to strangers, was closeted
in his private office on the main floor
when fashionably dressed young
man. wearing a tall hat and frOck coat,
approa ched the head cashier and asked
for an interview with Whitley. He
did not give his name, but said ne
came from Sir George Lewis, the fam
Gus lawyer.
The merchant seemed to be expect
ing the visit. for, contrary to custom.
he gave instructions to admit the young
man, and they talked together private
ly for several minutes
When the merchant came out of mis-
office followed by the young man, the
Whitley was waving him away as
though the inerview was at an end.
The visitor continued to follow and ex-
postulate with Whitley, and the latter.
turning sternly upon the young man.
told him that he would call the police
and have him elected from the store.
Shot as He Turned His Back
Whitley then turned his back upon
his visitor Instantly the young man
pulled revolver from his pocket and
fired two shots at short range. both of
then entering the head of his victim,
directly behind the ear
Hundreds of employees and shoppers
were eye-witnesses to the tragedy
They stood as though fixed with fear
and saw the aged merchant fall dead
to the floor without a cry or groan
The young man looked at the fallen
man long enough to note the effects
OF the shots and then turned the muz-
zle of the revolver to his forehead ana
fired He fell within a short step of
the body of the man he had just killed.
Women then began to scream, and
their cries, reaching the ears OF those
who had not witnessed the shooting
by the sound of the shots, started
panic among the shoppers and employ
es and there was a rush and scramble
for the doors. and the streets were
ouicklv filled with a wildly excited
crowd.
The police quickly cleared the store
of every one but a few employees and
witnesses of the tragedy. The doctors
declared that the first shot had brought
almost instant death to Whiteley ana
that his assassin could hardly survive
more than few hours.
Assassin Confesses Crime.
As the wounded man was being
nlaced in the ambulance. he opened his
ewes in a moment of consciousness,
and said:
Il know. l did it.
No one knew the identity OF the
Young man or could supply motive
for the crime 1t was at first beneVeo
that he was a former employe Oh
WHITLEY seeking revenge for some
, harsh treatment by the old merchant
but he could not be recognized by any
, of the other employees.
Relatives of Whitley visited the
; hospital and failed to recognize the
Young man as any member OF the
: family. or to have seen MIN pe1ore'
> Sir George Lewis said that he had
= sent no one to Mr.. Whitley. and ne
.,so failed to recognize the dying
e young man.
/. Center Of Trade Romance.
The tragedy removes the domlhah'
l feure in the retail world of England
q The name of Whitley had become n