Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-04-30
MURDERS WIFE
THEN KILLS SELF
SAD TRAGEDY SHOCKED SAN Be
NITO YESTERDAY EVENING,
WHEN, r. Il. CHATHAM DID
DEADLY WORK WITH PISTOL.
SHOT HIS WIFE-COOLY WATCHED
HER LAST GASP-TIiEN ENDED
OWN LIFE-SIiE HAD BEGUN
DIVORCE SUIT
(Special to The Hcrdld.)

SAN BENITO, Texas. April oU.-AI
80 o'clock yesterday afternoon I. F..
Chatham, aged 4G, shot and instantly
killed Mrs n b. Chatham his wife, aged
3S, and then calmly reloaded the pistol
and put a bullet through his brain dy-
ing instantly The shooting was due to
domestic trouble Mrs. Chatham having
Just recently fled suit for divorce from
Chatham The case was called last Sat
urtlay in Brownsville. but was put of on
the motion of the plaintiff.
Chatham came up to his wife'S home.
on the Boulevard. where she had been
living with her mother Mrs. McCallum
of Wharton County. ana her l. year old
son, Lee Chatham. since the separation,
about two months ago.
He brought three or four McXicans on
a dray for the purpose of CARRYING away
a piano.
The McXicans. the only eye witnesses
of the shooting state that he told his
wife that he would finish the payments
on the piano if she would keep it. She
refused to do this. then Chatham went
room and wrote something on a piece
Of paper and held it up for her to read.
Making the remark to his wife, will YOU
do it," she said, No" At this he open
ed fire with hammerless double action
3S Smith and Wcsson. Four shots were
fired at his wife Only two took effect
one on the left forearm. and the other
entering just in front and below the
point Of the left upper arm, penetrating
the feshy part Just between that and
the center of the left breast. cutting the
ascending great aorta. The woman made
a brave effort to get away from the slay
er and rushed for the back door. falling
to the ground just outside the door.
Chatham followed her out, watched
her gasp her last, made sure she was dead
then emptied three shells from his gun.
making sure that one was left to Kill
himself with He then walked back into
his wifes bedroom, sat down on the side
of the bed and without even waiting to
take off his eve glasses, placed the pis-
tol to his head. and fired.
The bullet entered just above the right
eve. in the front Of the right temple, and
came out on the left side of the back of
the head Just two inches behind the top
Of the left ear Bv the time he had fin
ished his deadly work some of the neigh
bors, attracted by the shots and the one
Wild scream of the woman, ran to the
scene They found Mr.. Chatham just
breathing his last
Two bullet holes were found in the
wall and door facing leading into her
room Five shots we're fired in all. Four
at Mrs. Chatham and one at himself.
Mrs McCallum, the mother Of Mrs.
Chatham, who lives in Wharton county
was in the city. but she had gone TO visit
Mrs John Stafford. another daughter.
and sister of Mrs. Chatham.
Besides the twelve year old son Lee,
the dead leave another son, Don, a
young man of u or %, at present in San
wall and door leading into her
San Antonio. They have been telegraph
ed for.
Chatham came to San Benito two
years ago as agent for the st. L., B. K NJ.
He has been employed at the San Benito
Transfer Co. since February 1st. He left
note addressed TO Scott Brown, pro
prietOr of the transfer company. and one
addressed TO Fred Wedcgartner, chan
cellor commander of San Benito Lodge
*. of L. These were found i'll his inside
coat pocket, showing that he had the
deed in contemplation for some time at
least L has been evident, that he has
brooded over the separation and the di-
yorce suit very much for some time He
before the separation.
Mrs. Chatham bore an excellent repu-
tation and il is thought that drink was
the prime cause of the separation, the in
centive for the divorce case, and the dir
ect cause Of the deed.
Y The verdict of Justice of the Peace w.
s. Cockeril was in accord with the facts
set down above.
v A search of Chatham's body revealed
no money although il was said that he
had several hundred dollars several days
ago. Seventy dollars in currency and a
check for $1040 was found in one of Mrs
Chatham's stockings. No instructions
have been given for the funeral.
Mrs. Chathams body may be sent back
to Wharton County, or to Boerne, Texas
her childhood home and Chathams bod,
may be inferred here or sent elsewhere
on order of his brother
\ Mrs. MaCallum is proStrated and TN