Evening star., 1915-12-05
No Trouble Experienced, Says
Mrs. Florence McAuIiffe, Ac-
cused of Attempted Murder.
PURCHASED A REVOLVER
AT LOCAL STORE, SHE SAYS
Woman Arrested on Charge of
Shooting Walter De Sales San
ford, With Whom She Lived.

That it still is an easy matter for a
person contemplating murder. suicide
or both to purchase weapons and am
munition in the District of Columbia
was made plain last night in state
ment of Mrs. Florence May McAuliffe.
thirty-eight years old. who is under
arrest on a charge of attempted mur-
der. 1t is charged that she shot Walter
De Sales Sanford in the face and head
with intent to kill him, and in sup
port OF the charge the police have
statements made in letters which Mrs.
McAuiiffe is said to admit having writ
ten shortly before she used the pistol.
Ihe shooting took place in the house
of Sanford and Mrs. McAuliffe on Steel
Plant road, Giesboro, not far from the
plant of the Washington Steel and
Ordnance Company. where. the police
state. the couple were looked upon as
being husband and wife prior to the
shooting
Sanford. thirty-one years old and a
trucker. suffering from a bullet wound
in his face and another in his head
Wrested the revolver from Mrs. Nc
Providence Hospital On the way to
the hospital he met Lieut.. Dean of the
harbor precinct and told him of the
shooting. Policeman +. NJ Dent went
to the house and placed Mrs McAuliffe
under arrest
Freely Admits the Shooting.
an Investigation of the affair and
heard Mrs. McAuliffe's statement of it.
The accused woman frankly admitted
the shooting. the detective stated. and
she also admitted authorship of three
letters that were turned over to the
police by a boy who had been given
them to mail. The letters were handed
to the boy shortly after Mrs. McAuliffe
did the shooting. One was addressed
to her father, William W. Brown.
Westminster. Md. and the others We're
intended for her sisters, who are resi-
dents of Baltimore.
1t was stated in the letters that the
writer loved the trucker too much to
let, another woman get him. She fur
ther wrote. it Is alleged. she intended
to kill him and take her chances with
the law. although, it is stated, she told
the police her first thought was that
she would kill Sanford and then end
her own life.
In the course of her conversation
with the police. it is alleged, she said
Shc Hdu iedEHcd tldl sodHloTu maze an
appointment to meet woman in
Southeast Washington one night last
week: that she had employed boy to
follow him and see him meet and con-
verse with the woman at Sth street
and Pennsylvania avenue. and that
when he (Sanford) returned home there
was trouble in the family.
Concluded to "End It ALL"
Mrs. McAuliffe. who said she had re-
sided with Sanford for about eight
years, told the police. it is stated, that
she was threatened with the loss of his
love and a home, and In considerat ton
of her treatment she concluded she
would end it all. She later changed
her mind about taking her own life
and decided she would take her chances
with the court, intending to get law
yer to protect her rights.
Asked about the purchase of the re-
volver, Mrs. McAuliffe told the police
she purchased the weapon and a box
of cartridges at a store on d street
She said she entered the store, said she
wanted to make a purchase and was
accommodated, paying 1895 for the
weapon.
Mrs McAuliffe was taken to the first
precinct police station and placed in
charge of a matron. Sanford had his
wounds dressed and returned home. He
was not dangerously hurt, but, the
police say, 1t was merely because of
the make and small caliber of the Wea-
pom that he escaped death. The pris-
oner will be arraigned in Police Court
tomorrow morning.