The Owosso times., 1917-10-26
WIFE ESCAPES MURDER
SHOOTS AT PATROLMAN
A. H. Wilder Prevented from Commit
ting Murder by Quick Blow of
Ray StinsOn

Kay StlnSOn
A. H. Wilder, blacksmith, is lock-
ed up on charge of attempted muir
der of Patrolman August Gerard, the
act being committed when Chief Of
Police Patterson, Gerard and Roy
Stinson went to Wilder's home on
North Saginaw street to arrest him.
Wilder's wife began suit for divorce
recently and an injunction was served
restraining him from going to their
home. He appeared at the home Sun
day carrying revolver and Monday
attempted to kill her but she escaped
and telephoned the police. When they
arrived Wilder had locked himself in
a room and told them no injunction
had been served on him. The chief left
to find out about it, and Gerard and
Stinson tried to get Wilder to come
down stairs. He again refused and
ordered Gerard from the house. Stin-
son went up to talk with Wilder and
noticing he had revolver told Ger
ard to step outside and when he did
not 60 Wilder pulled the revolver and
shot at him, but as he did so Stinson
struck him in the face and the shot
was turned enough so that it only
struck Gerard's coat. Wilder was
overpowered, handcuffed and taken to
Jail. 1t is thought Wilder intended to
kill his wife and himself. He has
been hard drinker for several years
and had abused his wife much since
their marriage five years ago.
At hearing Tuesday before Justice
Friegel both Wilder and his wife were
called to the witness stand and Mrs.
Wilder told the story of the days hap
penings, being all the time almost in
a state of collapse and extreme SYM
pathy was felt for the frail little wom-
an by the large crowd present, as she
told her husband afteQ the examina-
tion that she was sorry for him.
Mrs. Wilder said Wilder came to
the house Sunday night and remained
until Monday morning when he went
down town returning at noon and said
he was going to take nap but had
something to tell her before he left
for Battle Creek where he said he was
going to work. He later sat down to
eat with her and she said she would
cook two chickens for him to take
away with him. Wilder said these
hard days of work would soon be over
and they might as well eat hearty
meal as it would be their last. After
dinner he called his wife and showed
her the revolver which he had pur-
chased and said he was going to kill
her. He asked her to go to the cellar
to look at plants, but she feared him
and sought an excuse to escape but he
grabbed her and forced her to the Gel
lar where she got into the coal room
and pulled the door shut. She attempt
ed to escape by the window and finally
after he said he had put up the gun
she came out and he grabbed her but
she succeeded in getting hold of the
revolver and began pulling the tfig-
ger, discharging all the cartridges.
Then she told him she had saved him
from committing murder. He sue
ceeded in getting the gun from her
and ordered her up stairs. She start
ed, but feared him, and whirling push
ed him over backwards, escaping from
the house and called. the police.
Wilder denied intending to kill her,
claiming he bought the gun to kill
birds. Denied intending to kill Ger
ard, admitted having had whiskey be-
fore dinner on the day of the shoot
ing. He was very much depressed
and wished to talk to his wife but only
few words were permitted.
The examination was adjourned to
October 81.