Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-08
HUSBAND s DOUBLE
LIFE CAUSE Of
TRIPLETRAGEDY
When Mrs, Mary Graves Cox
Learned w, M, Milton Could
Not Marry Her. She Killed
Him. Her Daughter and Self,

Los Angeles. tNllL, Jan The
wife Of W u, Melton, the attorney
and rcnlty agent Killed last night 80
The tragedy which brought death also
TO Mrs Mary Graves Cox and her
daughter, Florence was heated here
today by the police a history Of thn
mans life led Officers 20 conclude
that the double murder ana suicide
were the outcome OF Motions inabl-
ity TO meet his engagement TO marry
Mrs coz.
Mrs Melton visited the mofgue ~.
day ma identified me body " her
husband Police Officers said they
were told by rer that Melton, Ma
lived at home aud was regarded by
her and neiehbors as model hus-
band His frequent absence from
home, she said She believed was due
10 business
Tho police theory NJ account FOR
the tragedy IS that Mrs Cox learned
only yesterday OF the existence of a
Mrs Melton aud in u paroxysm Of am
ger shot Melton and her daughter aud
then Killed herself
Melton received four wounds, any
cnc 81 which would have proved
piaL while Mrs Cox was shot but
cncc, and around ihe wound in her
hcad were pawder marks, indicating
that thc rcyalyor had been held very
close.
Melton entered Mrs cox's apart-
mcnts al 7.i5 o'clock last night Tho
shooting occurred about l0il5, Mrs
l.. e. Wilson, proprietor Of the ho-
tel snid today she heard several shots
fted md heard FLORENCE. Mrs, Cox
daughter scream, "lIo shot nay
mother"
Mrs Wilson started W call the poe
licc ana another series 90 shots ranp
ont
Two pattolmcn answered her call
They burst in the door of the Cos
apartment and found Melton ana Mrs
Cox dead ON the floor Florence wa'
sim breathing but she died in few
minutes.
An investigation showed fifteer
shots mad been fned from the one re.
volyor which WAS found lying beside
Mrs Cog. Her body lay within three
feet Of that Of Melton
-Four bullets were found lodged n
Melton's holy Florence was shu
only once IN the heart Her motnc
also bore one wound, which was un
der the right ear The police theor
" that Mrs Cox fired first at Mel
ton. reloaded her weapon and emptie'
u az her daughter Then probable
SHE chaiged IL third time for he
own destruction.
A potion Of diary kept hy Mrs
Cox expressed her disappointment
over her inability 20 procure stead
employment ms q motion picur
actross Tho last entry, January
read. "nespondcul again with hal
news from y heart broken.
The theory. however, that Mrs. Co
! Killed Melton, does not account TO
tho death Of her daughter, Florence
whore body was found in the room
with tho man and woman. unless sh
was hin accidentally while trying 1
flee out of range of her mothers re
yolvcr
That Mrs Cox killed the attorne
aud realty agent In q frenzy OF angc
Is indicated hy the fact that she fire
several shots into his body. althoue
The first bullet evidently mortal
wounded him, it 1t did not KIN hin
outright
when Melton left mis- home, ostcn
shly on business trips Go Bakersfield
and other points m the state, his VII
was not aware that he spent part &
his time IN AN apartment at a elm
mere. nor that Dee was known IA lh
club as bachelor.
Mrs. COX. ON the other hand, a.
cording 90 statements made by ht
mother and othor relatives in So
Francisco. expected Go be married
Melton Tho police believe she learl
cd only Yesterday that Melton alread
had "a wife and killed him and he
daughter Ia the resultant pareyYsm
) anger
j only oucp in the three years th'
T. Melton maintained am office with
firm of attorneys here was there
, suggestion that he might he involve
, with % woman. That was when &c
{ cgram for him was received sign'
8 MAY and mentioning that the scnd'
was coming 10 Los Angeles
Mrs Melton said that Meltens d.
NESTLE relations always had been hal
py