New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-11
GIRL, l3, THINKS
FATHER SHE SHOT
IS STILL ALIVE
Child Who Defended Her
Mother Longs to Return
to Classroom.
FIRED FATAL BULLET,
THEN RAN UPSTAIRS
Daughter Seeking Book to Di-
vert Drunken Parent, Drawn
to Old Revolver.


Ignorant of the fact that her father
is dead, thirteen-year-old Eva Tice, of
Croton. n. Y. who shot and killed him
Saturday while defending her mother
from attack, was mainly interested
yesterday in when she would be per-
mitted to return to school.
The girl, who is said to be unusually
bright, ard who looks it. won the
honors Of her class last month. She is
a pupil in Grade IA Of the Union Free
School, Croton.
By order of Justice of the. Peace B.
F. Decker, of Croton. to whose care she
is temporarily committed, Eva was not
permitted to talk yesterday. She was
brought down to the living room Of the
judges home for a few minutes yes
terday afternoon. There was not trace
Of worry in her face. She is Of aver
age height, has dark brown hair blue
eyes, is slender and rather attractive.
Her neatness could be read in the care
she had given her worn and faded ging-
ham dress.
Tice was a laborer. earning SO
week. He lived with his wife and six
children - Edward, eighteen; Cort-
wright, sixteen; Eva; Charles, ten;
George, seven, and Frances. fve-in a
small frame house in King Street, on
the hill rising away from the village Of
Croton. Edward and he were the only
bread winners, and their small earnings
permitted no luXuries. When Tice
drank-as he did often-considerable
scraping was necessary TO supply food.
Father Hard Drinker.
He came home at noon on Saturday,
his brain disordered by alcohol. He
demanded food, and when his wife
asked him what he wanted he told her
to get him some green peppers. He ate
these and seemed TO become a bit
genial. When George ran in from the
front yard and said his "bean shooter"
had become broken, Tice readily agreed
to FIX it.
After this he went out, remaining
nearly two hours. On his return his
appearance disclosed further drinking.
and his first words to his wife phrased
a complaint that 81 had disappeared
fro mhs pocket on Friday night. He
accused his wife Of taking the money.
When she denied this ne sprang at her,
closing MS fingers around her neck.
They we're in the room that serves
as a living and dining room. In the
kitchen Eva was washing dishes. She
heard her mother scream. The CIR,
hurried in and pleaded with her father
to release Mrs. Tice. He gave her no
heed. so Eva, to dissuade him by other
means, went to sideboard TO get a
book showing premiums TO be won by
getting orders for soap. The girl had
secretly planned to earn Christmas
presents for her parents, but this
situation made her decide that she
should reveal her intention.
On opening the drawer in which the
catalogue lay her eyes fell on an old
revolver. II was once owned by
Miss Hazelhurst, whose farm property
Tice had superintended. When Tice
moved TO King Street he brought the
weapon along. lie had never been able
TO fire it, Eva said and had used it to
frighten the children.
Revolver Discharged.
Relieving that the revolver could not
be discharged without thougat
about the possibility of the chambers
being loaded-the girl grasped 1t ano
ran toward her father.
"Tf you don't leave mother alone III
shoot you" she said.
Tice did not heed her threat. Quite
before she realized that her finger was
on the trigger a bullet was discharged,
striking Tice just above the right ear
al was so surprised | didn't wait to
see what happened" Eva said.
The girl ran upstairs TO the second
floor, where she dropped the revolver
She didn't know how serious the wound
was. Her father had become uncon,
scious, and her mother was too dazed
TO utter any cry.
This happened shortly before 5
o'clock In the afternoon. On reaching
tbe second floor the girl turned down
stairs and ran to the home or MIS-.
James Delaney, a neighbor. Physicians
could do nothing for the man. Coro-
ner J. Russell Foshay was called from
Peekskill, but Tice was still uncon-
scious. At IL o'clock Foshay asked
Judge Decker TO take Eva 70 the lat
ter's home in Croton. Ten minutes
after the girl had left her home her
father died.
The girl is not emotional. She slept
we'll Saturday night, and her meals
yesterday, Judge Decker said, were
larger than his own. She believes that
the wound she inflicted was trivial.
1t has not been determined what
course is TO be followed with regard to
her. Judge Decker, who was a cousin
of her paternal grandmother, who died
six weeks ago Saturday night, will not
arraign her until after the funeral
That will probably be held tomorrow.
Eva will be permitted 10 attend. To-
day Judge Decker will confer with Dis
trict Attorney Weeks, Of Westchester
County.