The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-19
SHOT BY SISTER
Mrs. Grace Ponds Is Lying at
Point of Death.
Jealousy Over Lover Is Given
as Cause of Act.

Mrs Grace Ponds, % years old. was
lying at the point OF death in St
Francis hospital this afternoon as the
result of a bullet wound inflicted by
her sister. Mrs. Edith Thompson
widow of Newt Thompson, who
died about a year ago in the state
\ hospital. The shooting occurred
about $3.50 O'Clock this morning at
/ the home of the women, TOO Story
street, near the Rock Island tracks on
the west edge of the city.
In a dying statement made this
morning, Mrs. Ponds declared it was
| jealousy over Clarence Snyder. a car
washer for the Yellow Cab company.
which prompted her sister to commit
the crime. Snyder had been keeping
last May. Mrs Thompson fired one
shot from a .S2 caliber revolver, the
bullet penetrating her sisters stomach
and penetrating the fntestines in ten
places Little hope was expressed for
her recovery All had been drinking
prior to the shooting. it was said.
According to the statement given
by Mrs. Ponds to county authorities
at the hospital this morning, Fred
Adds called at the home of the
women about 9 o'clock Monday night.
Shortly afterward Snyder arrived. Ad-
dis invited them to go riding in his
Thompson occupied the front seat
with Adds, while Mrs. Ponds sat in
the back seat with Snyder.
Drank Freely of Liquor.
The quartet imbibed freely of liquor
during the auto ride, it was said. On
the way home, Mrs. Ponds declared
her sister made several remarks in
dicating that she was jealous because
Mrs. Ponds was riding in the back seat
with Snyder.
when we got home said the dying
woman, Il told her she didn't need to 1
act that way and that she couldn't (
make any point that way. Adds iert
US and went away in his car and the
rest of use went on into the house /
1 went into the kitchen to get drink |
and Edith followed me and slapped I
me several times and knocked me /
down. 1 got up and had my big fur 4
coat on. Then she went to my dresser
drawer and got my revolver. Clarence 1
was holding my 4-months-old baby /
and she pointed the revolver at him 1
and he asked her not to shoot him"
To Negroes House For Protection.
Then, Mrs. Ponds said, her sister
called her a vile name and shot her. /
She ran from the house to the home /
of Milton Miner, a negro, short dis
tance away. for protection Here she
remained until Mrs. Miner hailed a
passing switch engine on the Rock Is
land tracks, the crew of which called /
an ambulance
When Sheriff Robert Miller and his
deputies called at the Thompson home
windows locked. Persistent pounding
and calling having failed to raise any
one, they broke open a door. Both
Mrs. Thompson and Snyder were
sound asleep and, according TO the
officers. dead drunk" They were
taken to the county Jail.
Mrs Thompson would not talk
Snyder's story tailed in most par
ticulars with the dying statement of
Mrs Ponds
Mrs. Ponds 4-mOnths-old baby was
taken into custody this morning by T.
d. Williams. county probation officer,
and d. F. Shirk. state superintendent
of the Kansas Children's Home
society. Mrs. Ponds begged the Of
ficers to see that her baby was placed
in a good home. She is said to be
separated from her husband. for
whom the officers are now search
ing in order to notify him of the
ira gedy-
Mrs. Thompson was the widow of
Newt Thompson. who was several
times in trouble with county and city
officers for alleged violations of the Il
prohibitory law. He was sent to the
State hospital for the insane, where
he died about a year ago. shortly
after his commitment. His brother.
Merrill Thompson. committed suicide
about two years ago at his brothers
home. when they were living on
Golden avenue.