Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-01-11
FORMER Wife,
ESCORT shot
BY MERCHANT
Guion Man Opens Fire on
Couple at Hot Springs
Woman Seriously Injured,
May Not Recover.

WAY lSOI NSCOVST.
Hot Springs, Jan. 9.-Ford Estes,
aged SO, and former merchant Of
Guion, Ark, at 2:20 o'clock yes
terday afternoon met his divorced
wife in company with Harvey K.
Sheffield of Newport, and drawing d
.3S caliber pistol from his pocket,
opened fire.
The woman received one bullet
through the right side, just above
the waist line, which came out in
the back. 1t is feared the wound
will prove fatal. Sheffield was
shot in the right arm.
Estes and Sheffield grappled for
few moments and the pistol was
taken from the men by bystanders.
The shooting took place on bath
house row, which is the popular
promenade for home folks and Wis
itors, and before many persons, and
created sensation.
Sheffield and the former Mrs.
Estes came to Hot Springs December
80, and registered as Mr.. II. Rich
ardson and wife, officers say, using
the maiden name of the woman.
Estes arrived in Hot Springs Sat
urday.
At police headquarters Estes told
a sordid story of domestic trouble
during the past three years and
which he claimed all centered about
Sheffield, who is a successful tim
Der man of Guion, and who, Estes
says, has a wife and daughter.
The tragedy, having been enacted
on the government reservation, will
go into the federal court at Little
Rock for analysis. 1t is the second
shooting to take place on the reser-
walton here within month, and
the second domestic tragedy within
a week, the former taking place
last Monday night, when William
G. Bennett of WoodlaWn, Cal, shot
and killed his wife and then kI
himself
Married II Years Ago.
According to Estes, he was mar
ried II years ago, and he and his
wife were happy until about three
years ago. He said Sheffield began
showing attentions to his wife then
and they had some words over this
and that one afternoon in Guion
when he saw Sheffield pass his home
and throw package into the yard
which his wife picked up. He said
! the package contained a .3S caliber
Colts pistol, and that it was the
same pistol which yesterday after
noon Chief of Police Sullivan and
Detective Brandenberg took from the
room occupied by the couple In
the room also was a large calibcl
Colts pistol, which belonged tc
Sheffield, it was said.
Tells Of Enlargement.
Estes said after the pistol incident
at Guion, three years ago, that he
and his wife separated. He gave
her the home and the children, and
he took quarters in the rear of his
store, and supported her and The
children. He said that soon after.
wards she left and that later he
secured a divorce, and about yeal
ago he went to Ida, Okla, and open
ed business. He said that last
J fall his little daughter was i'll from
typhoid and that her mother spent
a month with her. Estes said dur.
ing that stay she corresponded with
Sheffield. He said that last Christ,
mas he had a letter from her ask.
ing about the children Estes sale
that Clyde, his ll-year-old son, sui
fered broken leg in a fall anC
/ that he could not care for the chill
dren and run his business, so he
came back to Arkansas last week
He went to Newport and Guion anC
lived at the latter place. He sale
that his former wife was either al
! Little Rock or Hot Springs, anC
| thdt lie came here to see her tC
either effect reconciliation or t.
get her to take the two younger
of the four children, so that he
would be able to look after hii
business. Estes said that he did moi
know anything about Sheffield be
ing here, and that he was armed be
| 1, - u
He said also that it was we'll known
that Sheffield always was armed
He said that he came upon them
yesterday afternoon almost before
he knew it, and that Sheffield shov-
ed his hand into an o1ercoat pocket
believing the man was about tC
shoot he drew his own pistol and
fired two or three times, Estes said
Estes told officers that his for.