New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
LOVE TANGLE ENDS
 IN REAL TRAGEDY
Mrs. R. H. Ingersou Dead ".
 M. PrObaSCO Wounded

tangle and tragedy involving the unrelated families of Robert G. h. Eersoll, famous agnostic, and Robert Hawley Ingersoll, retired manufac- turer of dollar watches. stirred the fashionable Park avenue section of New York today.
 Mrs. R. H. Ingersoll. 55, estrang- ed wife of the manufacturer, was shot to death in her apartment on Fashionable Park avenue last night, and Wallace M. Probasco, 60, son. 1n-law of Robert G. Ingersoll, was seriously injured. Col. Robt G. h. gersoll died in 1899
 Probasco was held today.in the prison ward of the Bellevue hospital on a technical charge of homicide, but he and his wife claim that Mrs. 1ngersoll shot him and killed her self through jealousy because of a threatened break in a relationship that had endured for years. Pro- basco was shot twice through the chest aM once through the right arm.
 He Phones Wife.
 Probasco telephoned his wife aft CT the shooting. She went to the apartment, and. with building at tendants, found her husband on the floor beside a telephone. Mrs. In- gersoll's body was found on bed in another room. She was clad in pink dressing gown and wore jewels valued at s35,000. One hand clutched a revolver. Mrs. Jngersoll was Roberta Bannister and she came from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
 Mir. Ingersoll. G7, was notified at the Pennsylvania hotel. where he has lived since his estrangement and went to the apartment to identify the body. He said "The affair has been going on for years-probably 10 years-and I knew all about it. It is very sad indeed. That is all care to say
 Tells Ills Story.
 Prohasco, who is general manager and director of the New Century Color Plate Company, Inc, said last night while lying on a hospital cot: T told Mrs. Ingersoll Saturday that my wife and l were rcconciled. Later in the day she telephoned me to come over at once. I decided the best thing for me to do was to go. So I went over shortly after noon today. l went to Mrs. Ingersolls apartment determined to break with her for good, I was rather sorry for her. but I felt very happy. for I was going back to my wife, whom l love.
 Mrs. Ingersoll upbraided me when I came in for my coolness to- ward her. I apologized and told her immediately, wanting to have it over with. that was not going to See her anymore.
 "she was very angry. Going into the other room she returned with my hat in her hand and held 1t to- ward me. Go now she said, and I reached for my hat without an- swering her.
 "As I took the hat she fired with the pistol she held beneath it. I was struck and knew it, but l was not hurt much and did not fall. 1 said My God.'t and she fired again and again. The bullets knocked me down.
 She ran to the other room and I heard her fire a shot, but l could not go to her immediately. I felt sick. When I was able to get up, I went to the bedroom where she had gone, and there saw she had killed herself. It made me sick again and 1t was some time before l could telephone"
 Mrs. Probasco was at her apart ment in Irving Place when she re- ceiyed her husbands telephone mes sage.
 There has been trouble here.' he said. Come over"
 She asked the address and imme- diately hurried to the Ingersoll apartment Building attendants forced the door for her.
 When the tragedy was discovered, police were notified.
 She accompanied her husband to the. hospital and remained at his bedside until late last night.
 Wife's Statement.
 She says: "Our arrangement was over when this took place. He was coming back to me. He was leaving this woman for the last time,
 Y love him dearly. l always have loved him and always shall. l had kept this affair with the other wo- man a secret, and now I am frantic when I think of him there in the hospital. It is all over-let the dead past bury it's dead. If my husband lives he will be mine alone, forever Mir. and Mrs. Probasco were mar ried in 1912 by an ethical culture ceremony which did not mention God. Dr. John Elliott, of the Ethi- i cal Culture sociey. read the cere- mony which was: with this ring I thee wed in love and truth for life--till death do you part. I now pronounce two names as holy and sacred as can be spoken by the lips of man. l pronounce i you man and wife"
 Ingersoll's Career. Mir. Ingersoll came to New York i with Sl75, started q rubber stamp : shop and finally evolved, through study of an alarm clock, cheap |. watch that made him famous and | won millions for himself and his ! brother, Charles The World War i brought the company difficulties ! through forcing up the price--in . 1921 it was forced into a receiver ! ship and was eventually taken over by the Waterbury Clock Co. ! The Ihgersolls had been married ! o2 years, and the Probascos four i teen, neither couple had any chill dren.
 Starving Dog Keeps !