The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-26
Capt. Edgar J. Spratlins, Well
Known Physician. Shot Dead
by Woman at Macon
MRS. HATTIE ADAMS
HELD FOR MURDER
Her Husband in Statement
Tells of Alleged Indignities
Offered Mrs. adams in Of
fee of Physician

Atlanta. Ga, Aug. 25.--Capt. Ed
gar j. Spratling. commanding Com
pany f. Fifth Infantry, Georgia Ma
tional Guard, was shot dead In front
Of his tent at Camp Harris. the state
mobilization camp, near Macon, today.
Mrs Hattie Adams, handsome
matron of Atlanta. has been arrested
following statements Of eyewitnesses
to the death tragedy.
The shooting followed confession
Mrs. Adams ~ said to have made to
her husband and has stirred all Geor-
gta.
DR.. SpratIing was a prominent bnY-
sician and social favor1te in CIV! me-
He was formerly assistant superin-
tendent OF Matteawan Asylum
While the actual motive for the
shooting is being probed. statements
given out by Mrs. Adams and her
husband indicate that she believed she
had been wronged by Captain Sprat-
ling. The woman's husband gave out
a statement in which he justified the
act Of his Wife
Husbands Statement
IT what my wife totd me last
Thursday is true, she was Justified
more than Justified ia shooting the
man" h- asserted. 4 suppose the
thing proved on her m}nd until II
drove her crazy and she went to Ma
con 10 get her man. My wife com
planned ot some nervous trouble ana
thaught she would consult a nerve
specialist She went 10 Or Sprat-
linc's ottlce.
Last Thursday she told me about
the tragedy which occurred I'm his Of
fee en- che ~ her visits. This was
the first she had ever spoken TO me
about the physician who was attend p
ing her She todd me Of several Of
fens2Te conversations in which he had
made advances toward her can
place the exact date of the terrible
occurrences
Il first advised her 20 leave the city
and go 30 her father in Nashville
Tenn ! gave her the money 10 go on,
but for some reason she remained.
! did not know she had gone to Macon
today"
Mrs Adams announced to friends
this morning that she VAS going shop
ping She did not tell her husband
that she was leaving the city but told
her three little children. She reached
the camp at 1880 o'clock and pro-
ceeded at once 10 the Fifth Regiment
Quarters As she walked along off,
GERS row she attracted consdera BILE
attention from officers and men. She
is a woman OF thirty-fve and Of sttik
ing appearance. She appeared to he
worried
Captain Spratling was seated at a
table In front OF his tent waiting for
officers mess when Mrs. Adams APP
peared
Lieutenant r. A KyseF. of the same
command, was with Captain Spratlinc,
shoots Officer Dead.
rs this Captain Spratlingf" she
asked The oficer arose. acknowi-
edged II was he. and apparently rec
ognixed the woman. From a hand
bag she drew revolver and fred
cheek, while the other entered the
mouth He was dead in ten minutes
Lieutenant Kyser seized the woman
and struggled with her. She began
crying; Take me away from him:
take me away from him"
From the Bib County jail Mrs.
Adams telcgraphed her husband OF
he shooting.
Dear DADDY / am in Jail: do what
YOU can" she wired him. Adams i'm
mediately left for Macon
Since Captain Spratley has been
there a woman said 70 resemble Mrs.
Adams has previously visited the
camp. and tried TO borrow revolver
from one os the officers.
Captain Sp-atley's wife was pros
rated hv tre shock and had not re-
covered tonight
DR. Spratia> was torty-nine years
OH and had been In Atlanta several
Years. During his career ut Mattea-
wan he was at one time in charge OF
Harry Thaw. Recently at legisla-
rive investigation into the affairs OF
the State Santa rum at Milledgeville
he testified as an expert on insanity,
He was a graduate of Heidelberg and
had travelled extensively In Europe.
He claimed descent from Crawford w
Yong discoyerer OF anesthAsia