Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-15
FACING DEATH WITH
STOIC NERVE GRACE
REPEATS HIS CHARGE
Complete Narrative of Events
Leading Up to and Following
Tragedy Taken Down by a
Stenographer


Eugene H Grace cool. stoical and
unperturbed in the face of the warning
of his physicians that death is slowly
but surely creeping toward him, calm
ly told in detail in his dying statement
Wednesday afternoon of the incidents
that led up TO the firing of the fatal
bullet with which his wife is charged
and for which she is held a prisoner
behind the bars.
Solemn quiet reigned IN the room at
the St. Joseph's inirmary as his law
yers, doctors, relatives and nurses gath
cred near the bed upon which a life
was ebbing away
AS word after word fell from the lips
of the doomed man, clear and distinct.
the impressive solemniJy of the scene
and the tragic drama the man was en-
acting and relating brought tears to the
eyes of the little group.
While Grace, almost in the clutch OF
death, stricken in the zenith Of his
manhood. deliberately told in detail. it
is said, that his wife shot him, faces
blanehed at hearing what one of those
present described as "one of the most
horrible stories have ever heard or
read
That his wife remained with him for
several hours after he was shot. lie is
said to have declared
He pleaded with her. 1t is said, for
a doctor. and then finally his tongue
became parched and he begged for a
drink of water.
1 That the dying mans detailed state
ment shall not be made public until
after his death is a pact made by those
who heard and witnessed it.
But as the words came from his lips
perfectly audible. the typewriter clicked
them off with nervous energy.
Grace. conscious that his hour may
come at any moment. retains his fun
mental faculties.
Dissolution may come at any mo-
ment
lie may live several days.
But his physicians have given up the
case as hopeless
! Neither surgical nor medical skill can
avail. The crisis is at hand. Thursday
afternoon he was steadily sinking
only the bulletin of his two physi-
clans as told in wednesday evenings
extra" of The Journal has been given
out as official.
Detectives Billiard and Doyle the
first plain clothesmen to be detailed on
the case, held conference with Reu-
ben Arnold and Lamar HILL attorneys
1 for Grace, and also were cfoseted with
Dr. w. S. Goldsmith, Grace's physician.
Thursday morning. The deduction was
made that the detectives -are seeking
a further statement from the dying
MAJ.
Summoned to her sons deathbesv-aaFFF .ssA-
s. L. Hill reached Atlanta Thursday
from Newman. Ca. and. accompanied by
/ her husband, who is Grace's stepaathef.
/ Immediately was driven to ST Joseph,s
intirmary, where she remained 1T his
SIDE for some time Other visitors adj
mitted to the sick room during the
day were Lamar Hill, one of his attor-
neys, and Morris Prioleau, an intimate
friend.
Despite his determination to get well
and get a divorce" expressed to Jour
nal representative. the only newspaper
man to visit him since he was shot lie
| is said to still retain his good spirits.
and has never complained of his fate.
At the infirmary Thursday morning il
was reported by an attendant thar Mr.
Grace spent a fairly restful night" and
further than that no information as to
his condition could be obtained, the
physicians declaring that they have noth-
ing to add to the official Statement
given out Wednesday night.
READ NEWS IN JOURNAL
Mrs. Grace received the news Of her
husbands condition Wednesday from
The Journal When the regular edi-
ination and the seriousness of his con-
ditiOn, reached the streets. Attorney
James A. Branch Immediately took a
copy of the paper to the accused ySo-
man. Later, when the night extra told
of the conference of relatives and ply
sicians and attorneys, gathered because
of the increased gravity OF Grace con
dition. Mr. Branch rushed to the Jail to
deliver the paper to his client And
finally, when The Journal extra told or
the official statement of the doctors Civ
ing up all hope, she received this from
Mr.. Branch's hands.
The accused woman was visibly az
fected by the news.
She has always expressed the keen
est possible interest in her husbands
condition and when the earlier papers
stated that an operation might save her
husbands life, she kept repeating. "Oh.
why don't they operator Why don't
they operator
Physicians in attendance on Eugene
hamilton Grace Wednesday night at Z
o'clock issued a bulletin declaring that
no hope is entertained for the wounded
mans recovery.
The bulletin. bearing out in every way
the exclusive forecast of the Wednes-
day afternoon Journal was delivered
into the hands of waiting reporters at
the conclusion of four-h5ur confer
ence in Grace's room of physicians.
relatives and attorneys who gathered
at st. Joseph's Infrmary at 3 o'clock
in the aftern BON. The bulletin con-
irmed The Journals story of second
X-ray photograph Of the wound taken
on Tuesday evening and a Journal extra
carried the confirmation to all parts OF
the city
The statement of the two attending
physicians follow:
"A second &-ray examination was
made on Mr.. Grace Tuesday nignI
at 10 O'Clock by DR.. John s. Derr.
in the Gambler Annex building The
pictures Showed bullet located in the
spinal canal on a lever with the ninth
dOrsal vertebrae The cord is entire
~ severed. No operation viii be per
formed. as no benefit could result from
it. We entertain no hope for his re-
eOvery, although he may live several
weeks.
Wv. S. GOLDSMITH. NJ IL.
WILLIS JONES. NJ D.
That no operation will even be at
tempted shows the hopelessness of En-
gene Grace's conditions after the sew
49,, Al.