The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-28
WRAPPED IN MYSTERY.
Shooting of Roberts AT Atlantic City
Still Unexplained.

Though Charles B. Roberts, the
financier and club man of Baltimore,
who was the victim of a mysterious
shooting on the board walk on
Wednesday night is still in critical
condition at a local hospital. strong
hope is entertained by the physicians
that he will recover. He was suffi-
GENTLY revived from Inconsistencies
to tell the police something of the
man who shot him and acting on the
faint clew which is understood to
have been given them. they have
been working industriously to clear up
the mystery surrounding the
shooting.
Mrs. Williams. who was in the roll
ing chair with Roberts. and the negro
sharp cross examination and their
stories agree on the details.
Mrs. Williams told the police that
the man who halted the chair came
face to. face with them and was walk
ing slowly Peering through the glass
windows behind which Mr.. Roberts
and Mrs. Williams sat the man laid
his hand on the chair and showed one
of the windows aside, at the same
time showing revolver. Thinking
the man wanted money Mrs. Williams
declares she offered him her chate-
laine bag. The stranger waved it
aside and ordered Roberts to get
out AS Roberts got up Mrs. Will
liams says she looked hard and saw
for the first time that the man was
masked. He shot four or five bull
lets. one of them taking effect in
Roberts side, another penetrating the
back of the rolling chair and mar
rowly missing Mrs. Williams and the
others going wild. Then, declares
Mrs. Williams, the man coolly walked
til
which is at the upper end of Atlantic
City.
Chair Pusher Ran Away.
The negro chair pusher was too
frightened to act and admits he ran
away until the man with the revolver
was out of sight. He then called
Policeman Rust, who assisted Mr.
Roberts into the rolling chair to
await the arrival of an ambulance.
Mrs. Williams made emphatic de-
malls when asked whether the man
might have been her husband. She
asserts Mr.. Roberts had long been a
family friend and that her husband
knew him as such. She says her hus-
band has never exhibited any signs of
jealousy during all the years she has
known Mr.. Roberts. She added too.
that her husband knew OF the presence
of Mr.. Roberts in Atlantic City. Mrs.
Williams was then asked whether the
man VINO ola the SnOOtlnS maze the
reported declaration: you will
never take my wife out to dinner
again." as he fired the shots. She de-
MED this, as did also the negro chair
pusher.
Mrs. Williams was unable to say
whether the man tried to kill her also.
THE bullet came uncomfortably
close" she said, but if he wanted to
kill me. it seems he could easily have
done So She further declares that
she has not the slightest suspicion as
to the identity of the assailant.
Mrs Roberts, wife Of the victim
arrived here last night and has been
at his bedside at the hospital ever |
since. She refused to- talk of the |
occurrence. 7-1 |
The police scott at the theory of
highway robbery, and hint at SEN
those whom they have under sus-
picion. |
Baltimore End of 1t.
Baltimore, Aug. 2S.-The attempt on
the life of Charles f. Roberts of this |
city at Atlantic City created tre-
mendous sensation in Baltimore So
ciety. The report that Mrs. w. S. G.
Williams, also of this city. was in the
rolling chair with Mr.. Roberts when |
the shooting took place added interest
to the case. For number of years
the Roberts and Williams. families
nave been on intimate terms, the heddS
of the two households being of APP
proximateiy the same age and moving
in the same circles of society. In
view of these relations 1t was pointed
out by some of Mr.. Roberts friends
that his meeting Mrs. Williams and
riding with her in the rolling chair
was quite in keeping with the friendly
relations the two families enjoyed.
The husband of Mrs. Williams re-
turned from a two months trip to
Europe last Monday. He would say
but little concerning the affair. He
expressed surprise when told that the
woman with Mr.. Roberts was his wife.
saying that she was in Boston the last
time he heard from her. He said that
he saw Mr.. Roberts last Tuesday night
for the first time since his return
home and told him how glad he was
to see him. Mr.. Roberts did not go