New-York tribune., 1922-10-17
ScornedW oman
Shoots Broker
At His Office
Man Avoids Her Early Calls,
but She Corners Him;
Makes Plea for Wedding,
Then Fires Five Times
Victim Dying in Hospital
His Assaila1lt Surrenders;
Wife He Abandoned Tried
in Vain to Warn Of Peril

"uAe''S ooAuHoeS,d young FTench
stenographer, went to the Office of
Oscar M. Martelliers, an insurance
broker at 100 William Street, yesterday
afternoon and demanded that he marry
her. He refused. She shot him five
times. Martelliere is in dying con-
dltion at the Beekman Street Hospital,
Mrs. Salundes surrendered herself to
the police two hours after the crime.
1t was learned from other occupants
Of the Office where Martelliere rented
desk room that Mrs. Salundes had
come there earlier in the day, but find
ing him out, left note for him which
lis said to have read: GAS you don't
want to put stop to it, will, and
going right away to see Mr.. James
Turley, who is waiting for me. You
viii not be long to land in Jail"
Martelliere, 1t appears, had expected
her and had told others he did not
want to see her, absenting himself
about the time when she was to come.
He telephoned later and asked il "that
formed she had gone, he came to his
office.
salundes returned. The only other .a.
person present at the time was Ger
trude Thompson, stenographer, who
was new employee at her desk for
the first time yesterday. According to
her, Mrs. Salundes walked up to Mar
telliere's desk and said few words in
low voice: She had seated herself in
chair alongside Martelliere's desk
t1of hoh Nj D.. 4.
A moment later, says Miss Thompson,
the woman rose and asked in peremp-
tory tone: "Well, are you going to
do it?",
"No" replied Martelliere decisively.
Whips Out Revolver
His visitor quickly wrenched a small
20 caliber revolver from black case
and sent two shots into Marteiliere's
chest and abdomen. He rolled from his
chair upon the floor. She moved over
closer as he lay face downward and
fired three more shots into his back.
.Thrusting the pistol under her skirt
belt, she quietly walked out Of the
Office and left the building undisturbed.
When Miss Thompson had recovered
moment later from her fright she
rushed out into the hallway and
screamed for help. An ambulance took
"
Hospital, while the police and detec-
tives Of the Old slip police station
began to scurry around for the miss
ing woman.
Two hours later Captain William
Funston, in charge of detectives at
the Old Slip station, received a tele-
phone call from James Turley, an at
torney with offices in the Woolworth
Building, that Mrs. Salundes had been
at his office and was returning soon.
Turley was the man mentioned in the
note which the woman had left at
Martelliere's office earlier in the day.
Captain Funston, with Detectives
Trainor, Fay and Dunphy, hurried over
to Turley's offices, and a short time
later the woman returned. She was
at once placed under arrest and taken
to the Old Slip station. She still had
in her possession the .25 caliber auto
matte, pistol in small tlack case.
Twenty five caliber shells were picked
up from the floor Of Martelliere's Of
flee by Detective Oswald.
Declines to Talk
She declined to make any statement
whatever in reply to questions by Cap
tain Funston, saying that she had been
instructed to say nothing by her attor-
ney Because of Martelliere's condition
it was inadyisable, the police explained,
to have her identified by the victim.
She was taken to the Clinton Street
station and will be .arraigned at the
Tombs Court this morning.
Martelliere, however, said the police,
made statement before becoming un-
conscious, naming Mrs. Salundes as the
(Continued on paao uIue)