The Washington times., 1910-09-12
Bullet PenetrateS Woman's
Brain, eliminating Night
of Revelry.
VICTIM SOUGHT
TO AVERT TRAGEDY
Revolver Snaps -Four Times and
Goes Of With Aim
DETECTED.

PITTSBURG. sept. 12-Struck BY a
bullet whic IA girl friend fred at her
self with suicidal intent, Martha Ben
son, Of Harrisburg. is dying at the Al
1 legheny Valley General Hospital, at
Tsrentum-
The accidental shooting Of the Benson
girl followed a night Of revelinE which
brought remoTse and a desire for self
obstruction 10 her companion, EIzabet b
Frost
Five times Miss Frost pulled the triz-
ger Of revolver placed near her head.
Finally IL exploded, but il missed Miss
+ ost and entered the head OF Miss Ben
son standing nca- by.
me Frost girl Is held in Central police
stallon here Two men companions o.
the EiTl were arrested.
The tragedy FOLLOWED a trfp 10 Pitts
burC Dy the two girls and the two men
OEe OF the latter Is married He was
taken rom his home by County Detey-
uEe } J. tinr.ey- The revolver with
found hidden IN his room.
To Detective F'lnney the Frost Eiri
confessed the story OF the shooting. She
Is only eighteen years old AID is heart
IcEelTy rearing she would again at
tempt 20 end her life, Detective Finuey
Elaced her II charge Of a uatrou. who
watched her closely
Employed IN Hotel
Elizabeth Frost and Martha Benson,
who Is twenty-thTee years old, are both
employed in the Eensington Hotel, in
y, " Kensington. @here Elizabeth Frost
was head waitress and the Benson girl
was one Of the STAFF At the hotel, SAYS
the Frost girl. they met William F.
Warner and James Law, street car
men. who frequently ate dinner al the
restaurant Law is married.
The Frost girl SAYS she and Miss
Benson and Warner came 70 Pittsbr.rr
from Natrona and spent the greater
part or the night there Then Warner
and the two girls went hack 70 Natrona
70 meet Law After they met him in
EdtTona they went 10 Z lonely place
along the Allegheny river and drank
beer 79 Until 2 o'clock in the morning.
" Warner ana Law said they wanted
70 leave them The girls protested.
saying they were afraid to stav 10
the lonely place by themselves.
To reassure the girls, Law gave them
his revolver. which contained I'VE loaded
cartridges After the men dfsaDoes red
the Frost girl became remOrsefuI and
alternateiy cried and threatened to KIN
herself All attempts Of the Benson rf-I
70 pactfy her failed
Girl Snaps Revolver.
Suddenly the Benson girl heard the
hammer OF the revolver snap four times
on the loaded shells The cartrIdzes
we're defective and would not expIode
Just as the Benson girl was close enough
10 spring forward 10 catch Miss Frost.
the trigger was pulled for the fifth time
The cartridge exploded. but the sim
ness OF the trigger had caused the Frost
girl hand TO sway 10 the side OF her
IOTeheaQ- Ine bullet WhiSrlel pasr he-
ear ana struck the Benson girl on the
slde OF the tace. penetrating the brain
Han carrying the Benson girl Miss
frost struggled toward Narrona
screaming at the top OF her voice. Her
ana warner who were talking to a
policeman The three men Went 10 the
ald OF the girls and carried the Rens0-,
SlTl 10 the Office Of Dr. J. Ieydfc in
Tarentun-
Carried TO Doctor.
For almost half a mile the Frost Eirl
struggled behind the three men as. they
bore Miss Benson 20 the doctors Office
Dr- Leydic ordered the girl sent 70 the
hospital When Detective EinneT az
rested Miss Frost, she said:
I tried to shoot myself, but the bull
let missed me and hit Martha"
InvesttgatiOn BY the detective prosed
this OF the four loaded shells Ieff in
the revolver when Il was taken from
Laws room three bore one mark OF the
hammer and one bore two marks. show
ING that two attempts had been made
TO FIRE It.
Warner and Law were both arrested
oE defective Ftnney, but as both are
OnlF wanted BY the police as witnesses
Ihey were later released upon their own
recognlzance- Before lapsing into IN
consciousness the Benson girl told A
nurse mat the shooting was accidental I