The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-27
The Mother-in Law, Who
Comes,toAid Of Daugh-
ter, is Also Wounded.
DEADLY WORK OF
JEALOUS HUSBAND
John Childrcss, Crazed by Seeing
Wife With Anotller Man,
Shoots Her Down. Wounds
Her Mother and Blows
His Own Brains
Out.

lspec.ai TO The Times Dispnteh.J
NORFOLK. VA, october 2s.7-,Aiicg-
ing TINT his home had been ruined.
John chi1dress walked into No. 4 Fen.
church street near East Mann shortly
nfter 4 O'CLOCK this afternoon. SHOT his
eightean-y year-old wife. Frankie. twice
IN the breast, ono shot passing through
the Heart killing her INSTANTLY; shot
his 1iiother.i Law in the side. and then
tnrnod the muzalr os the revolver 10
his right temple aifd blew his brains
out.
That is the tragedy in one aet, so
far az the police know II, but there
may have been other happenings. When
the police arrived at tue Chiidresa
home after the alarm had been given
Mrs Childress was dead. Childresh was
paspine his last breath. and the
mother in law. Mrs. Matte Briiton.
was helpless from u severe wound In
her side.
a two-year-oid boy. son OIL .hc
Childresses. was standing In the door
way inpioring that no one be al
. lowed to shoot him.
Most of the tragedy occurred In the
Kitchen Mrs. Childress's body had
fallen out the kitchen door. and
Childress had fallen on the Kitchen
floor, the death-dealing revolver be-
ing a few inches from his outstretched
hand. Mrs. Britton. the mother-in-law,
was going To the assistance OF her
daughter when Childress fired OH
her.
The revolver had been fred five
times. So far. only four OF the SHOTS
have been accounted for.
Wife with Another Man.
The police are on the lookout for
Tom Donaldson, a baggagemaster OF
the Southern Railway. He is the man
whom chtIdrsss accused of break e inii
up his home. Donaldson had been seen
on the street with Mrs. Childress q
Few minutes before the shooting.
AS he and Mrs. Childress were stand
ing talking. Childress passed them
il Is not known whether he made am
what hecame of Donaldson after that
Donaldson ard Mrs. Childress had
also been in the habit of attending
the theatre to -5cther. Only few days
theatres to look for them. He showet
one of the ushcrs pistol and tolc
him that it would XIII the man Will
his wife II he could be found.
Divorce Had Been Talked OF.
There had been talk OF divorce
Mrs. Chi,aress had Just been to see
lawyer wnen her husband passed me-
on the street in company with Donal'
Tyson.
The childregses came to Norfolk
from Lyncnourg about two years ago
Chndress was about twenty-five year
old and painter by trade. He ant
his wlfe lad two children, the two
rear-oid boy and ri eleven month
Mrs Britton. who is thirty-sevel
years old. Is expected TO O. recover.
a friend of Childress said tonight
81 have known Chiidress for NOR
than two years. He was splendid
fellow. When trst knew him n
was steady and sober and hart
worker. He told me his wife was caus
ing HMM lot of trouble, and showel
me note he had found at his hous
that had been sent to her by q mar
He declared then that he would Kill
her unless she broke off her infatua
tion for this man. He stood In m
place and cried like baby about tn
aTair.3 He also told me that he ha
made a god sum of money during tn
SIMMER at his, business, and that b
had spent most of it on ahis Wife; h
hads given her diamond ring. an
was paying for her instruction in mu
sic. 1T was in that way she me
the man that has caused Childres
SO much trouble. sss
Others who knew Childrsss well sa
that he was insanely jealous He maj
ried Miss Frances Britton. of Marion
Va. Mrs. Childress was very hand
some woman. Her family was anon
the best known and most highly re
spected in Marion, according to I'll
best information obtainablc. MI
Brittop arrived home with the tw
CHILDREN early In the week from ii
country, where they had been vis!tin
for some time. 1t is said her daugf
teriwrote TO her to- come, but not
believe the stories she would hes
about her. While the bodies OF Chi
dress and his wife We're being carrie
from the house in which the TRACED
occurred sympathetic netghborsy ooke
cut for the children, who We're on
wondering what had happened to q
tract so many. people to their home.
/. 4 L fHsa.--