Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-01-22
GIRL STATES PARENT
HAD MADE THREATS

With a Lullet wound through the
left breast near the heart and which
also punctured the lung, Charles JEFF
ferson, a painter. As years old. vic
tim of a tragedy at his home, III
Third street. Eastport. Tuesday night.
is in a precarlods' condition at the
Emergency Hospital here this after
noon. and fear IS felt for his recov-
cry He has suffered hemorrhages
since being removed TO the hospital
and is now reported in an extremely
weak condition.
In the meantime, Miss Ruth Jeffer-
son. a daughter. Is years old. tele
phone operator employed in the Ma
val Academy exchaSsc, who has adj
United the shooting. saying that she
did it in defense OF herself. as well
as her mother. is at the family home
suffering OF hystera. My father de
elared his intention :of killing moth
er, and then shooting himself" she
said to representative of The Capt.
tai this afternoon. HE had made
similar threats on previous occasions
when he did not appear to be him
my mind that ] would protect her II
possible. so / shat him only after he
had thrust the mizzle Of pistol into
my mouth"
At the hospital yesterday. Jeifer-
son, after he had regained himself
somewhat, stated t5 DR.. Russell, 81
forgive my daughter; she did 1t to
save her mother This Is the only
statement he has made, 1t is under
stood.
Tells Complete Story
For time, the circumstances OF
the tragedy which Aoccurred Tuesday
night shortly before midnight. seem
ed to lie clothed an an element OF
mystery, as no arrest has been made.
nor an investigation conducted. Re-
somewhat distorted and exaggerated.
but Miss Jefferso& made full state
ment OF the affair in the presence of
her mother aad aaeveral other chill
dren, of whom taere are nine In all
Her narrative @as interrupted by
tears. because efSher hyFerlcal con-
dition She sohSed bitterly at the
thought that her father Is perhaps
mortally wounded. but found conso-
lation In the fact that she saved the
life of her mother. as we'll as her
self, and PERHAPS other members of
the family. ~
Miss Jefferson as well as her moth
er, and two other sisters who were
present, when she told the story of
the affair. said THAT her father had
often suffered brain attacks, but that
he had been apparently in sound
! frame of mind during the past few
days, until late l''uesday night.
Suddenly Went Oh
Papa had talked with me. my
mother and the. younger children.
during the evening Miss Jeffersoa
said, "but nottfag unusual occurred
until just befo e midnight when we
were about to retire. AS was about
to go upstairs, ~papa turned to me, :
Miss Jefferson said, and remarked
THAT / had besier prepare for some
thing awful. and then he said thai
he intended to kilI mother and him
self and wouail find them both stiff
in the mornings.
Hid MOt.Rr In Cupboard
Remembering there was a small re-
volver in the draw Of bureai, got
it and in the meantime / hid M
mother In a cupboard. In a few min
Iutes, papa wt,at into the bed room
and was staining by the cupboard
He demanded To- know where mother
was and l told him she had gone 10
town. He had a revolver in his hanf
lat the times This weapon was Q;
/ l.32-caIibre). Papa seemed to know
that mother. had not gone to town
but was in the cupboard, and conlias
closer to me he said that If did MOI
tell where motasr was he would Kill
Ime too. / was thoroughly frightened
but drew the revolver which ! was
holding hehind inc and fired "a shot
Papa afterwasxIs walked down stairs
into the kitchna where he fell on the
floor. My little sister. Alice, 2 years
iold, was in THE room at the time, and
tthe bullet narrowly missed striking
her"
Family OF 10 Children
q Miss Jefferson stated that all o.
the children the youngest Of them
Bernice and Edna. 4 and 9 years old
4 Continued On Page Four)