The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-03-21
Herbert A. Graves, a Young Archi.
tect, MysteriousIy Attacked
in His Office
WOMAN MAY HAVE FIRED SHOT
circumstantia1 Evidence Leads the Po-
lice to Belief That Racine Wo-
man Tried to Kill the Young
Man Used 22-Ca1ibre Gun

The most mysterious crime known
IN Kenosha in a decade was COM
mitted between ten and eleven O'Clock
Monday night, when an unknown
person secreted in the offices of the
a. L. Flegel Building company, shot
Herbert A. Graves Jr., son of H. A.
Grav a foreman in the plant of the
Racine Hardware company at Racine.
Graves saved himself by throwing up
his hands and the bullet which was
from twenty-five calibre revolver
passed directly through his left hand
and no vital spot was touched.
AT the time the shot was fired, the
person firing it was within few
inches of his Cor her victim, as the
powder from the revolver blackened
the shirt worn by Graves. Just over
the covering of the heart was great
mass of powder burns, and this shows
that the person who fired the shot
had come with the intention Of CONT
ting murder.
Circumstantial evidence in the case
seems to indicate that the shot that
wounded Graves was fired by
woman, andsthat the woman was dis
guised as man. Graves is evidently
willing to tell all he knows about the
shooting, but at the same time he is
willing tot do all he can to shield the
identity of the woman who it is
thought possible held the revolver.
Graves is member of prominent
family inSRacine, and lived with his
parents at 1886 Wisconsin street in
that city until he came to Kenosha a
short timeIago to work asan architect
in the office of the A. T.. Flegel COM
pany. He!is quiet and unassuming
young man, and for this reason the
mystery of the shooting is even deeper.
The entire story of the shooting was
told bysGraves this morning.
He was seen at The office Of DR.. J. B.
Spalding, who was dressing his
wounds, and while suffering a great
deal OF pain he told the story. He
stated that he had left his office in the
Flanagan building just after nine
o'clocksand had gone to the nome of
his employer to spend the evening.
He left the apartments Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Flege1 at the Gerry Inn just
after half past nine O'clock and re-
turned to the office. He had lit the
lamp and had read awhile before he
retired to his sleeping room in the
rear of the suite. He was just taking
off his clothes when he heard the
latch of the front door click and
thinking that he had forgotten to
lock the door and that some one had
struggled in, he went to the front
part of the Offices. Just as he crossed
the threshold leading into the front
office, some one shouted, Throw up
yort hands,. Just as Graves threw
up his hands a revolver was pushed
directly IN front of him and the shot
fired. Graves was dizzy from pain
and fell to the floor and when he came
to his senses the room was empty.
Nothing had been touched and two
gold watches, which he had in his
pockets, lwere still there. It was evi-
dent that his assailant had not shot
with view of robbery. AS soon as
possible Graves washed the blood
from his hand and hurried to tne
Doctors office where the wound was
dressed. Later the case was reported
to the police. Graves had Just time
to get glance at the person who
fired the shot. He declares that he
or she wore a long cravenette coat
and had the face hidden by hand
kerchief and when the command
throw 10 yourshands was given it was
IL disguised voice.
Graves declares that he has never
had any trouble with any man since
he has been in Kenosha, but he ad-
mits that it is possible that the shot
was fired by a woman. In this con-
nection a weird story is told of the in.
fatuation of married woman resid-
ing In Racine for the young man. and
the friends of Graves declare that the
woman was in love with him before
he came to- Kenosha. The woman
and her husband were close friends Of
the Graves family. A short time ago
this woman came to Kenosha and
went to the Office of young Graves and
at that time she found him IN close
conversation with a well known
young Kenosha girl. There was a
terrific scene between the two women
and Graves admits that before the Ra-
cine woman left the Office she threat
ened to kill him and then commit sui
eide. Graves declares that he did
not believe that the woman was in
earnest, but he asked that her where
ahouts on Monday night be investi-
gated. He refused to divu1ge the
name of the woman and declared chat
should it be found thatit was she who
tired the shot he would not prosecute
her.
/ He stated that the voice of the per-
son had been so disguised that he
could not say whether it was man
ora woman and that the shot was
hired SO quickly that he could not see