The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-06-16
Father is Shot Down by Son

Claiming that he was acting in self
defense in a row where his life was il
danger, William Gray, "a years old,
real estate dealer of Hunterdon county
and we'll known in this city through
business transactions, shot and killet
his father, John Gray. so years old, a
their farm between Rosemont anf
Kingwood Sunday afternoon about
o'clock.
There was no one present but the
mother, father and son when the muir.
der took place, and the mother zorro
bates the claim OF her son that it was
a case of self-defense in every way
After the shooting, when the old man
lay Frustrated on the floor, his wife
even then feared him to much too rem
der any assistance or try to relieye his
pain.
According to the story told by the
son, his father had always been quar-
relsome. He was continually abusive
to his wife and on many occasions the
son was compelled to use violence to
prevent his father from doing harm to
the mother Only a few days ago the
old man in fit of rage chased the en-.
tire family about the house, threaten
ing their lives and brandishing a
butcher knife. In this instance the
son was compelled to restrain the faith
er through violence.
Sunday morning the old man started
to make things lively at home and
there were IA number of quarrels. The
one which caused his death was start
| ed after the family dinner, at which
he took exception to the cooking and
upraided his wife, The son gave the
father to understand that such treat
| ment must cease and at once. This
further enraged the old man aud he
started for the son. 1t was with diff
Guilty that the younger Gray kept the
old man off, and when he succeeded
the old man went for shot gun, de-
claring that he would put stop to the
| fighting himself by putting the sons
light out
While the old man was returning
with the gun the son procured re-
volver and commanding the father to
drop the gun, fred when the father
refused to comply with his commands.
The bullet entered the left side of the
father, and took an upward course,
causing internal hemorrhages, from
which the old man died about two
hours later.
AS soon as the old man fell and the
son saw that he had fatally wounded
his father. he drove at once to Rose
mont and tried to get DIR. Chamber.
lain at Sergeantsvile. but the physi-
clan was out. He then telephoned to
this city and was unable to get ply
stefan here, and returned home to find
his father was dead.
The young man then returned to
Rosemont. and notified Coroner Cane,
of Bambertville. aud County Physi-
clan Larson, of the shooting, and at
the same time tried to get in eommu-
nication with the sheriff of the county
to give himself mp, but this official
could not be found aud he declared he
would remain with his mother during
the night and give himself upin the
morning.
| In speaking of the shooting yonng
Gray said:
| Father has given us trouble all our
lives and this thing was bound to
come, | shot him. that is true, but
did not intend to kill him. ] was
standing down on the ground when
fred and did not realize that / was
aiming so high. am sorry | killed
him, because he was my father"
The Grays have lived in that sec
tioE for about two years The son
conducted real estate business and
the father ran the farm. Young Gray
| was salesman for the Strout Farm
Agency, Of N. Y F, and was Il success
iui hgeut. ne Is Woii Hpoheu VI ny
the neig hbors and all who had deal
ings with him. The news of the shoot
ing spread rapidly, aud was shock
to all who heard it, because of the
high regard in which young Gray is
held.
Previous to going to that section of
Hunterdon county, tho Gray's lived
at TaylorsvilIe, Pa few miles below
this city.