Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-16
SHOOTS HIS WIFE
AFTER QUARREL
r. L. Shelton Says He Was Driv.
en- Almost Insane by Nagging
of Her Relatives.
CONDITION is PREcARIous
Husband Arrested at Boarding
House When About to Take
His Own Life.

II l.. shelton. S2o haynes Avenue.
brookiand Park. late yesterday after
noon shot his wife. IIcttie. through the
head. following a quarrel which took
place In the dining groom Of their home,
before the eyes of HIS two small chill
- dren. The man fired three shots. the
iirst two missing their mark but the
ihirh and last striking Mrs. shelton
Just below the right ear and passing
through the face. making It's exit sew
erai inches below the left ear The
Jawbonc was broken. but II was said
at the Virginia Hospital carly this
morning that the woman was thought
to have an even chance for life Shcl
ton was arrested and IL being held at
the Second Police station lie will he
arraigncd in Police t.our; this morn
ing.
NEIGHBORS CALL IN
POLICE AID AMBULANCE
Persons at the residence Of &. F.. E'us.
sell. S21 Haynes Avenue, arc said 10
have communicated the FIRST news OF
the shooting 10 the Second station
Mounted Officer Allen was hurried Ia
Inc scene, only to find that Shelton had
armed himself and would resist and
that his wife was in what appeared To
him to be dying coE!Hiu ~. sum
'noneh assistance aud called tho am
bulancc Policemen roulinson. Des-
h'hS ann justice OF iN2 l'cHte Purdic
were rushed to the sc"nc "C tho shoot
ing in the Police Sic.al s"rvic. auto
mobile. The ambulai.r. w..h Surgeon
y IS. walker In charge. arrived ut the
spot At about the same 'iIa-. and Mrs
shelton was immediatel. hurried 10
the hospital
toon the arrival OF the additional
polise. the shelton HON" Mas surround
Q" and a concerted invasion followed.
y thorough scarcn Of tho place resulted
IN IN me discovery that shelton had left
for some unknown place. His two
children had been taken IN charge by
their uncle. y. : Gresham. AMI were
~ the home OF the Fusseils
SHELTON TRACED TO
BOARDINt;-HOuSE
Justice OF the Peace rurdie called
several places over the telephone be
fore he succeeded in earning tha,
shelton had been to Floyds saloon.
ahou, mile and a half from the scene
of the shooting. and had there pur-
chase,! some whiskey. He informed
Floyd that hc was going TO his board .
ing house, IDS West Marshall street
Justice Purdie communicated with tho
Second Stallion and Policeman Krur
Was hurried to the house. lie found
shelton standing in front room.
| threatening 10 kill himself and to
shoot ANY one who attempted to inter
fcre. krug rushed the man as ie at
tempted TO draw the revolver, which
had already been used with murderous
intent and. after a short struggle Sc
cured IL shelton pulled III. trigger
rs krng grabbed the pistol. and the
plungcr OF the hammer penetrated the
i skin between the officers thu,nb and
! forefnDer. preventing an explosion OF
the cartridge. Shelton made no fur
ther attempt at resistance. and was
brought TO the station house without
further trouble
i was not drunk nj the time shot
J her. shelton told reporter ~ thia
J paper in his cell last night II acted
on the spur of the moment and II
had the thing TO go through with
again. woul. act in the same way.
only regret that did not immedi-
atcly kill myself. had II" thought
OF injuring my children, whom 7 love
! dearly.
/ SAYS RELATIVES HAD
NtGGEn HIM FOR YEARS
MY life has been one OF torment tor
The last few years. and believe its
circumstances would have driven any
other man insane"
Asked why he disliked his wife so
much. Shelton replied:
1T goes back a number of venrs OF
course, but the real cause of the trou-
hle io-niGht WIS the result Of the
charges which she anu her brother
John +. Gresham. brought against me
last Saturday. and which resulted in
my being fined $40 and costs in the Po-
lice Court 81 Monday. Their charge
OF assaultins and kicking her was a
prevaricat!on. and the evidence they
gave perjury. ! have never struck her
in my life and have always given her
every cent made for household use
with tho exception of a dollar which
Kept out each week for tobacco Mrs
Shciton mas been persistentiy nagging
me Tor wears. ana has been aided i'm
this by her brother who has been llv-
ing with
That man has been living with us
I9r n3 mont months; he has never paid a cent
for for him: @ have even carried bricks
time another brother of my wifes-
not my wife. either. for ! have no
Wife wifs-Mr II ISL Shelton and his wife, lived
mted nothing toward. defraying the
household i expenses. left home on
ging and returned ut each time at the
insistence of my w of Mrs, Shelton.
LEFT HIS WIFE
After the proceedings in court Mon
day day ! mSved m my residence to that Of
Street. returned home yesterday af-
ternoon to have Mrs, shelton check up
Ssse several l.n bills for supplies which had
TO sit down to supper. John Gresham
and the children were in the room, and
when ask ed her to check the bills to
see II they were correct before l paid
them she asked her brother what to
do; He toSl her TO refuse TO have any
thing to do with the matter, and she
then. replied to me that she knew
nothing about them.
AT that everything went black be-
fore me. ! knew what | was doing
but ] could hardly see. | seemed to
go mad with anger, ! snatched the
pistol from my pocket and began
shooting. Gresham was closest to the
door, and dashed through. pulled the
trigger again and again before Mrs
Shelton stumbled through the door
When appeared TO have somewhat
regained myself. little, Austin was
Kill them ali, and little Mary was
standing dazed by the door. l snatchcd
them to me and told them | meant
them no harm. The set table was not
disturbed by any one, and the supper
Is still there BY that time Fussell
had como IN and soon took the children
away. I went to his homo to see them,
and told them that I would remain at
Continued on Second Page.)