The Washington herald., 1909-03-17
Special 10 The Washington Herald

Special 10 The Washington Herald.
Charlottesville. Va. March I6.-Whue
defending Mrs. Gnlard from an attack
by her husband. John Armstrong ChaI-
oner accidentally shot and killed John
Gillard, an Englishman, yesterday aft
crnoon- The shooting and trouble oc-
CURED IN the dining room Of Merry
Mills" the beautiful country place of
Chaloner. near Gotham, this county.
Late this afternoon the coroner's jury
rendered a verdict that Gillard came to
his death by an accidental discharge OF
a revolver in the hands Of Chaloner. dur
ing a scuffie between the two men, while
Chaloner was in good faith attempting to
prevent Gillard from beating his wife.
Tr- jury exOnerated Chaloner from all
e The verdict is signed BY Charles
dickinson, foreman. a prominent civil
leer.
Drank and Abused Wife.
lard lived about two miles from
Ty Mills the Chalener home. He
known in the neighborhood because
brutality to his wife Although in
circumstances. the Gillards had a
ortable home until Gillard began to
and abuse his wife. His abuse OF
wife became notorious around Cob
and aroused much Indignation
day Ernele Money called at Merry
" 70 talk over some business mat
t-.- with Mr.. Chaloner. when Mrs. Gil
lard and her fourteen-year- boy came
TO the house. They We're admitted 10 a
parlor on the ground floor. while the but
Ter went upstairs for Chaloner.
Appealed for Protection.
Mrs Gillard told the butler that she had
come to ask protection for herself from
her husbant who had been abusing and
beating her again. While she was in
the parlor Gillard gained an entrance 10
the house and found his wife.
He at once attacked her and
threw her 20 the floor. where he seized
her by the hair and began choking her.
Her first screams were heard by those
upstairs, and Chaloner. Money. and the
colored butler hurried downstairs. Gil
lard seemed 10 be in a frenzy. and all
appeals to him TO let his wife alone
proved OF no avail. The men then
grasped him. and after a hard struggle
succeeded in getting him on his back on
the floor.
Pistol Discharged During Struggle.
The butler was then sent for some rope
to tie Gillard with. and while he was
gone the latter suddenly started to fight
again. He grabbed Chaloner. who was
holding pistol in his hand, to try and
frighten Gillard into being quiet. The two
men began TO struggle. and during the
struggle the pistol was fred. The bullet
went through Giilard's heart, killing him
Instantly.
Chaloner at once notified the police
and coroner, and an inquest was at once
ordered
The testimony brought out at the IN
quest retold IN detail the story already
told. Witnesses testified. in addition. TO
having seen Mrs. Ginard shamefully beat
en- on several occasions Mrs. Gilard was
asked 70 testify. and said she had gone 70
chaloner for protection and that the pistol
had been fred IN a struggle between Chal-
oner and her husband. The jury which
heard the case was out only a few min
utes
Chaloner stated that owing 70 the ex-
citement, he does not know whether he
or Gillard pulled the trigger which fired
the fatal shot.
ChaIoner Had Befriended GiIIard.
Gnlard came to this country from Eng
land about two years ago. his family
consisting Of a wife and several children.
He first located at Richmond. but later
removed to Gotham. this county, where
he spent two or three months About a
year ago he removed to CaJnpbells which
Is only three miles from the Chaloner
home. Being in poor circumstances. .Gn.
lard was often befriended by Chaloner.
The room where the tragedy occurred
showed evidences to-day Of the struggle
which took place yesterday The tongs.
which were bloody. contained shreds OF
hair, and were bent from the blows. Hat
pins were scattered over the floor. Mrs.
Gillard had several bad ats on the head.
ChaIOner of Prominent Family.
Chaloner. who is a brother OF Lewis s.
Chanler, former lieutenant governor OF
New York, and recently the Democratic
candidate for governor. has figured promi-
neptly in the public eye ever since his
escape from the Bloomingdale Insane
Hospital. where he claims he was nle-
gally held. He is now preparing a suit
to recover his fortune. which is in the
custody Of a guardian, appointed when
Chaloner was incarcerated
Chaloner, after his escape. had his name
changed from Chanler TO Chaloner. and
has been living at a beautiful country
home IN Virginia, near here