Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-13
STRUGGLE ON FIRE ESCAPE
Plunges Knife Repeatedly in Won.
ans Face and Neck.
SLASHES HIS OWN THROAT
Hospital Surgeons Say Both Patients
Have Chance of Recovery-Pris-
oner Makes Statement.

ward made :, determined effort To end the
life of his wife. Lula HiIbard and fol-
lowed it with An attempt at suicide
shortly after o'clock last evening Mrs
Hilbard is in critical condition at the
Emergency Hospital. while Hilbard.
seriously wounded is at the Casualty
Hospital guarded by policemen.
Armed with A pocketknife with long
blade Hilhard crouched outside the apart
ments occupied by his wife in II street
northwest When she made her appear
ence it is charged. he plunged the blade
into her face and neck. and after several
persons had FASTENED To the assistance OF
Mrs. Hilbard cut his throat. Mrs Hill
bard was stabbed at least ten times.
The stabbng. il is declared was due
TO insane jealousy on the part of Hilbard-
The pair separated last August because
of alleged cruel. treatment by the hus-
band Mrs. Hilbard was about to start
for the west TO reside there permanently.
started TO see her last evening with the
avoued intention of making her consent
TO live with him again or kill her.
Screams of Murder" and "Help.'
The first known of the affair was when
persons in the neighborhOod heard
screams of murder and help from
Mrs. HiIbard's apartments. followed by
the appearance of man and woman
on a fire escape. the former gripping the
woman tightly about the waist and stab
bling her The woman seemed absolutely
helpless. her arms being pinned to her
sides and her body thrown back so that ii
lay partially across the fire escane RAJ
Several persons FASTENED to Mrs. Hii'
hardS assistance. The firSt person 10
reach the fire escape is said to have been
Ralph {. McCracken. who occupies apart
ments near those of Mrs. Hilbard He
passed through the room and. going out
plunge the knife into his wifes neck.
Then Hilbard's arm was raised for an
other blow McCracken. 1t is stated
showed the arm aside and struck Hlbard
in the face. compelling him TO break the
grip he had on his wife.
Mrs. Hilbard turned. rushed into her
room and then into the hallway. leaving
. a trail of blood. She screamed hysteri-
cally. and in spite of the efforts to stop her
descended stairway and moved into the
street. BY the time she reached the front
door she was in weakened condition
from loss OF blood. and after one or two
efforts TO continue her flight fell on the
pavement. Among others. Representative
Martin D. Foster of Illinois. who is a
physician. .hastened TO her side.
After his wife made her escape Hilbard.
the blow dealt by McCracken. moved
back into the hallway. then TO the outside
of the house. down alley in the rear
and started To climb a fire escape. AS
IL ill
seen by Policemen Beckett and Saunders
of the sixth precinct. who had responded
to distress signals blown by Special PO-
hceman William Cornell at the time the
latter heard Mrs Hilbard's screams The
arrest was made without difficulty.
Slashes His Own Throat
AS Hilbard was leaving the house
Cornell attempted to stop him. A scuf-
fe followed. Hilbard succeeded in break
ing away and as he ran drew the knife
several times across his throat After the
arrest Hilbard seemed TO collapse phys
ically and mentally. 1t was then dis
covered. il is said. he was in semi
intOXicHt ed condition.
Shortly after Mrs. Hibard reached the
pavement she was sent to the Emergency
Hospital The surgeons worked over her
for fully an hour and a half before the
wounds in her face and neck Were closed
II was said she had sustained eight severe
stab wounds. two of a trifiing nature and
several scratches evidently made by a
gancing blow of knife The surgeons
say she will proba bly, recover should there
be no unexpected complications.
The self-inficted wounds I'm Hibard S
neck consisted of one deep cash and one
smaller one. He spent an extremely
restless night and it was said today
that his chance for recovery is fair. Dur
ing the night and this morning Hilbard
talked of his attempt to take the lite of
pjf EXPRESSED
greatest regret for wishing to kill her and
then denounced he- in bitter terms
Mrs Hilbard Describes Assault.
Mrs Hilbard made full statement of
the affair TO Detective Vermillion.
II am employed as miliner, she sa ID.
and returned home last evening about
o., or Go o'clock. | had just finished
dressing. and | started out of my door,
when ! suddenly discovered George stand
ing outside waiting for me. He was drunk
or had been drinking and looked at me
as though he hated me.
Are YOU going To. leave me? Are you
going west?' he asked
Yes l replied. You have beaten me
and treated me bruta1y for two years.
and what else can do
He seemed TO become quiet for a
while. and we talked a few minutes
about something trivial. and then he ask
Ell me To stay here with him
II YOU BEHAVE yourself and keep
SOBER. ! Will | answered.
Suddenly he seemed TO lose complete
control o. himself and jumping at me-
he shouted. You won't get out OF here
this night. because | love you. and I'm
going 10 Kill YOU
L begged YOU 10 be good / said to
him. but I'll give you another trial
No. YOU won't, your time has come >
he replied. As he grabbed me | broke
away rom him and ran into my rooms.
He followed me with knife i'm his hand
and | screamed | pulled up the window
and ran toward the firescape. where he
threw one of his arms about my waist
and began stabb'ns me. | don't remem.
Der much what happened after that"
Mrs. Hilbard is about thirty-one years
Of age. When she married Hilbard she
was a widow, with a hoy fourteen years
al age. whom she sent to Atom Iowa
about two weeks ago. her sormer home TO
he cared for by her mother. The pair
We're married TWO years ago i'll Rockville
after Il short courtship il is said
After the separation Mrs. II lizard re-
manned in the | street house until her
mother and son went west. when she
moved tn III street. The husband took
up his quarters at 9th and {; streets
where he has been living since August
Military Academy Bill
Tile House committee on military af-
fairs has voted to report favorably the
Military Academy bill. which carries an
appropriation of approximately SOO.OOO