Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-29
LEADING SOCIETY MAN SHOT
Charles B. Roberts Of Baltimore
Wounded at Atlantic City.
AFFAIR OCCURS ON BOARD WALK
Man Meets Chair In
which Roberts Was Riding with
Mrs. w. $. G. williams,
shoots and Escapes.
BULLETIN.

ATLANTIC CITY, Aug. 2s.-Incensed over
the statements given out by friends Of
Charles B. Roberts, who was shot here on
Wednesday night, the police late this after
noon gave out the Information that the
holdup stories are untrue ard that they
have under suspicion w. s. O. Williams,
husband of the woman who was with Mr..
Roberts at the time of the shooting.
Whether Mr.. Williams actually shot Rob-
erts or whether a confederate did 1t, the
police will not say, but they declare that
Williams had not been In Europe at ALL as
alleged, that he had come from a sanitarium
in Atlantic City and was here when the
shooting occurred. 1t is asserted that Mrs.
Williams will be held here as a witness.
ATLANTIC CITY. N j., Aug. S.-Though
Charles B. Roberts, the financier and club
man of Baltimore. Md. who was the vic
tim of a mysterious shooting on the board
walk on Wednesday night, is still in a
critical condition at local hospital. strong
hopes are entertained by the physicians
that he will recover He has sufficiently
revived from Inconsistencies TO tell the
police something of the man who shot
him and acting on the faint clue which is
understood to have been given them, they
have been working lndustriously to clear
up the mystery surrounding the shooting.
Mrs. williams, who was in the rolling
chair with Roberts, and the negro chair
pusher. we're subjected to a sharp cross
examination and their stories agree on the
details.
Opens Chair window and shoots.
Mrs. williams told the police that the
man who halted the chair came face to
face with them and was walking slowly.
tVA
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 a revolver. Thinking
the man wanted money, Mrs. William de-
clared she offered him her chatelaine bag.
The stranger waved It aside and ordered
Roberts to "get out" As Roberts got up,
Mrs. williams says she looked hard and
saw for the first time that the man was
masked. He shot four OF five bullets, one
of them taking effect In Roberts side, an
other penetrating the back OF the rolling
chair, and narrowly missing Mrs. Williams
and the others going wild. Then, declares
Mrs. williams, the man cody walked
away in the direction of the inlet" which
is at the upper end of Atlantic City.
The negro chair pusher was too fright
ened 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 ambulance.
Woman Denies it Was Husband.
Mrs. Williams made emphatic denial
when asked whether the man might have
been her husband. She asserts that Mr..
Roberts has long been family friend and
that her husband knew him as such. She
! says her husband has never exhibited any
signs OF Jealousy during all the years she
has known 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 who did the shooting made the
reported declaration. you will never take
my wife out to dinner again." as he fired
the shots She denied this, as did also the
negro car 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 bed
side at the hospital ever since. She re-
| fused to talk OF the occurrence The police
scott at the theory of highway robbery,
and hint at sensational revelations upon
| the arrest Of those whom they have under
| suspicion.
| BALTIMORE Aug. 8.-The attempt on
the life of Charles B. Roberts OF this city
| at Atlantic City created a tremendous
sensation in Baltimore society. The report
that Mrs. w. 8. G. Williams. also of this
! city, was in the ROLLING chair with Mr.
Roberts when the shooting occurred. added
! interest to the case. For a number Of
years the Roberts and williams families
have been on intimate terms, the heads
OF the two households being of approx
mately the same age moving in the same
| circles OF society. In view of these rela-
tions, II 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 their two families enjoyed. The
husband Of Mrs. Williams returned from
a two months trip TO Europe last Monday
He would say but little concerning the af-
fair 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 he returned home and
told him how glad he was to see him. Mr.