Evening star., 1937-11-17
CHILDREN RALLY
TO HELP MOTHER
WHO SHOT FATHER
virginia Woman Is Freed on
$500 Bond on AS
sauIt Charge.
HUSBAND THREATENED
HER, SHE TELLS POLICE
Boy Hit by Car Is Unknowing
Cause of Tragedy Involving
Parents.

-Four OF her five children TODAY rail-
lied to the defense of Mrs. Kathleen
Hughes in the fatal shooting of her
husband at their home near Alexan-
dria yesterday afternoon.
The fifth child, 12-year-old JOHNNY.
knows nothing of the tragedy, al
though he was the innocent cause OF
the quarrel between his parents. In
Jured by an automobile, he lies on
hospital cot just across the corridor
from the ward where his father died.
Mrs. Hughes was released on $4,000
bond on a charge of "felonious assault
resulting in death" few hours after
she shot her husband through the
chest with his own revolver. She then
returned to her home al Hunters Sta
ton, in Fairfax County. Va. and four
of her children hastened 10 comfort
her.
Mother Claims Self Defense.
The mother, who is only 35. told
police she shot in self-defense after
her husband accused her of careless
ness in connection with the iniurv of
Johnny, and attacked her with
stick of stove wood in a drunken rage.
Johnny had been run down by the
automobile Monday afternoon.
The husband, Carley NJ. Hughes. Al
had been drinking for two DAYS prior
to the shooting, Mrs. Hughes told
police
Hughes, World War veteran. op-
Grated a dry cleaning place in Alex
andrla, while his wife runs a small
store iii front of the familys home
at the crossroads of Hunters Station.
After the shooting Mrs. Hughe,
took her husband to Alexandria City
Hospital in the family car and saw
him placed in a ward immediately
across the corridor from the room
where her son was recovering from hIs
injuries
Then She Tells Story.
The mother sobbed out her story to
police. She told Officer Louis Finks of
Fairfax County that she shot in de-
tense OF her life. Mrs. Hughes. Fink
SAID. explained that she and her
daughter Mildred. 10. went to AIexan-
dria Yesterday afternoon to see John
ny at the hospital
The boy was suffering from a head
injury, possibly fracture of the skull.
received when he was run down BY an
automobile whila riding on his bicvcle
on the Westinghouse Richmond high
way near his home. The mother told
police she and her daughter met
Hughes in Alexandria and he wanted
to go home with them, but they re-
fused because he seemed intoxicated.
Mrs. Hughes and her daughter, DO
lice were told. went home in a taxi
cab and Hughes followed in the family
automobile. Arriving home shortly
after his wife and daughter, Hughes
allegedly picked up a piece of wood
from box near the back door and
entered the house, saying, Now we're
going to fight this OUT"
Grabbed by Hair, She Saws.
The mother said Hughes upbraided
her for what he considered her care
lessness in allowing Johnny to 70 on
the highway at the time he was in
Jured. She told police her husband
grabbed her by the hair. but that she
pulled away and ran to dresser, OBJ
tanning gun from the top drawer.
Mrs. Hughes told Finks she then
shot once to protect herself She de-
clared she didn't mean to kill him, +"
but fired because she was afraid of her
husband, who was said to have threat
ened her life on previous occasions.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hughes had been mar
ried for % years.
Mrs. Hughes said she was only 13
years old when she married her hus-
band. The children range in age
from 20 to 3 years. Those at home at
the time of the shootinA police
learned, were Diane, 20; Mildred, 10,
and Jean, IA.
Johnny and companion, Lester
Freeman, 10, also of Hunters Station.
we're knocked from their bicycles Mon
day by an automobile which. police
say, was operated by Alfred Simmons.
10, of Ingleside, Va. Simmons was
arrested following the accident, but
no formal charge was lodged against
him. Young Freeman was only slight
ly bruised and cut.
Mother Arrested at Hospital.
Mrs Hughes said today that her
husband was unjustifed in blaming
her for the accident.
1T might have happened to any
body, she said. Il couldn't help
Johnnys getting hurt. I tried to tell
him that, but he wouldn't listen"
Mrs. Hughes was arrested at the
hospital by Alexandria city police, who
turned her over to Fairfax County
authorities. Commonwealth's Attorney
Paul E. Brown said a preliminary
hearing probably would be held to-
morrow, although the date may be
changed later today.
Young Johnny Hughes chatted hap
pily with his visitors today unaware
of the tragedy. His mother and sisters
said they would not tell him of his
fathers death until he is out of
danger They asked nurses not to let
the boy see any newspapers.
Meanwhile, Johnny was puzzled and
more than little flattered by the fact
that news photographers kept taking
his picture. He asked each one to
send him cODieS of the paper which