Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-10
SHOOTS ONLY SON
THEN BRINGS HIM
80 MILES K>>,..
To SAVE HIS In
Long Trip From Estancia Val
ley Farm to Presbyterian
Hospital Is Futile and Edwin
Wood Dies From Wound,
FATHER SAYS HE "JUST
HAD TO SHOOT" YOUTH
Asserts That Son Attacked
Him in Violent Fit and Was
Choking Him to Death When
He Fired Fatal Shot,

One of the stIansesS cases of hom
icide of record in Albuquerque came
to light Tuesday morning when j. w
Wood, 81 years old, a farmer of Es
tancia valley, stated to IL. o, Strons
of Strong Brothers, undertakers, tha
he had shot and fatally wounded his
son, Edwin, "a years old, on theii
farm six miles southwest of Mcln-
tosh.
The body of the young man hae
been brought to the undertaking.
rooms shortly before midnight the
night before. Itswas known that he
had died as the result of gunshol
wound. but it was supposed that he
had been wounded accidentally unit
the father called at the place yes
terday morning to make arrange
ments for the burial and asserted
that he "just had to shoot him" The
farmer said he had not made anS
report to officials and Mr.. Strong
after advising him that the funeral
could not be held until they had
been informed called Chief of Po-
lice Galusha.
In detailed and apparently can
did statement, Wood sorrowfully told
of the shooting, saying his own life
was in imminent danger when ne
shot. His son was grasping ms
throat and choking him to death, ne
said, and he was powereless TO de-
fend himself against the younger
and stronger man, so he drew 80
caliber automatic pistol from his
pocket and pulled the trigger. The
bullet entered Edwin's abdomen.
There was another wound in his left
arm, but the police say that one
bullet might have caused both
wounds.
Every effort was made by Wood
TO save his sons life. He called DR..
j. III. Virgins from Estancia after
the shooting and when the doctor
advised that he be taken to hos
pital, according to the statement TO
the police. Wood set out In neigh
bor's automobile for Albuquerque. The
neirhhor, +. Fl. Spencer. drove and
the farmer kept watch beside the
make-shift bed that had been rlgged
UP in the back part Of the car.
The fifty-mile trip took seven
hours. The road was muddy and II
was raining and they did not arrive
at the Presbyterian hospital uhtil
Q o'clock Monday night. DR.. l.. G..
Rice who had been notified of their
coming, was waiting at the hospital,
hut the young man was dying when
he was carried into the building ana
nothing could be done to prolong his
life. He died shortly after II o'clock,
Edwin had been subject to epilepsy
since he was 7 years old, according
TO Wood, and he brought him to the
Estancia valley from Sweetwatef'
Tex, eighteen months ago at the
suggestion of doctor, who said the
change might help him. There mad
been no Improvement in his condf-
ton. he added, and he was intend
ing to take him back to SweetWater
soon. He said as Edwin grew older
the attacks became more and more
violent and it was one or THESE at
tacks that caused the shooting.
Wood said the first warning OF the
last attack was the breaking open
of trunks in the home by his son,
and he feared he would get the au-
tomatic pistol, which he had left In
one of the trunks. He found. how
ever. that he had not, and pocketed
the gun himself, he said. He then
went into the yard and his son, COM
ing out of the house, seized him, he
said In their struggle. according to
Wood, he was bent backward against
a windmill stanchion and, he added,
his son had hold of his throat,
him when he drew the
pistol.
The district attorney for Torrance
county who was at Las Cruces, was
of Woods statement over
the long distance telephone. and he
that Spencer. the neighbor
who accompanied Wood and his
wounded son here, be made a spe-
cial deputy sheriff to take the farmer
back. Spencer left with Wood after
the funeral had been held. The
funeral was held yesterday after
noon at O'Clock from Strong Broth
ers' chapel, the Rev. Charles r. Me-
Kean, of the Presbyterian church, |
the services, and burial |
was in Fairview cemetery