The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-30
SOCIETY DAME
SHOOTSSPOUSE
AFTER QUARREL
Mrs. Walter Alvin Lampe Puts
Bullet Through Temple of
Dermatologist
Insists She Only Intended to
Threaten Him for Accusing
Her of Infidelity

Her of Infidelity
Z RAUGHT with repeated domesti,
quarrels. the nine months of mar.
ried life of Dr4 Walter Alvir
Lampe, dermatologist and his wifi,
culminated in her shooting hin
through the temple at 4:30 o'clock yes
terday afternoon in their apartment
at the Hotel Holland. 125 Ellis street
The shooting was provoked, according
to Mrs. Lampe. by her husband re
peatedy accusing her of infidelit.
with her former husband, 7. C. Sur
ney. Although Dr. Lampe was no
killed outright, the physicians attend
ing him at st. Thomas hospital, so,
Page street. entertain little hope o
his recovery.
There has been an accident in oul
room"
CoolIy Tells of Shooting
This brief telephone message from
Mrs. Lampe to the hotel clerk led tt
the discovery of the shooting. Thes,
were not the first words spoken b,
Mrs. Lampe after the fatal shooting
Still holding the smoking revolver, she
demanded from her husband that h
exonerate her in writing. Repeated!
she asked him to write statement
But he could not speak, he was s,
dazed from the loss of blod. and grad
ually he sank to the floor.
Approaching finally that he was to-
badly wounded even to answer, mucl
less write message for the outsid,
world, Mrs Lampe hurried to the tele
phone. 1t was then that she called TO
aid. stating that there had been an &C
cident in the room.
Upon the arrival of Detective Ser
geant William Proll the woman admit
ted she had shot her husband. Sh,
maintained. however, that she ha,
nourished the pistol to frfghten he
husband with the idea OF ending, Il
this way. his abuse. AS mute. testi
mony of the treatment she had re
ceived at his hands. she exhibited he
arms and bust covered with black an,
blue marks.
Loves Way Ruffled
loves course has never been per
fectly placid in the IAampe famil.
since their secret marriage in Sal
Rafael on the sixth of last February
Once since then the rupture became s,
open that it found publicity in tn,
press June 6. At that time Mrs Lamp
complained of her husbands atten
tions to an old sweetheart She furthe
complained of her mother in law
contending that she was the real caus,
of their unhappiness. Nothing wa:
said. or even hinted at, at that time o
her former husband.
Now Mrs. Lampe charges that hei
husband has repeatedly accused her o,
infdelity with Surney. This she de.
nies, asserting that his accusations ant
taunts on this subject became NOR,
than human patience could endure. Tt
end these charges she decided dramat
icalIy to flourish the pistol wher
Lampe referred to Surney. Not onl.
does she deny relationship with Sur
ney, but she emphatically holds that
so far as she knows. her former hus
band has not been in San Francisc,
since her marriage to DR. Lampe.
Mrs. Lampe secured the 80 calibe
Colt revolver from the office of he
brother, DR.. Leo Fowler, dentist a
81 Ellis street. She went TO his offic,
Saturday and when he was not watch
ing placed the weapon in her chate
laine bag. She allowed the pistol t,
remain there. depositing the bag an,
its contents in bureau drawer, in he
room. When the quarrel over Surne,
was reopened in the afternoon sh,
stepped TO the bureau, grabbed tn,
pistol and. turning to her husba nd
commanded him to be silent. At tha
moment the gun exploded and Lamp,
fell to the floor. But one shot wa,
fired and that had entered a uttl,
above the temple.
Can Not Find Bullet
DR.. James Presley. house physical,
for the Holland and Manx, was tn,
first one called. At first DR.. PressIe,
was inclined to believe the woun,
was superficial, but he ordered tn,
wounded man removed to st. Thoma,
hospital Lampe was placed on tn,
operating table but constant probins
failed to locate the bullet The pbv
sicians fear, however, that it is press
ing against the spinal cord and tha
death will result.
On reaching the hospital the wound
ed man regained consciousness. AS
sistant District Attorney Thoma,
Kennedy came to the hospital to TAX,
HIS antemortem statement. but Lamp,
refused to make any. He admitted
In conversation. that he had quarreIe,
often with his wife, but remained
silent when asked If he had. beatel