Iowa
Old Press
Jackson Sentinel
Maquoketa, Jackson County, Iowa
August 5, 1875
ATTEMPTED MURDER
On Monday afternoon, July 26th, the good people of the usually
quiet town of Wyoming, Jones County, were thrown into a terrible
tremor of excitement by the announcement that Miss Etta Green,
daughter of Thomas Green, a well known citizen of that place, had
attempted the murder of Wallace Foote, teller of the National
Bank there, by shooting at him with a revolver. The causes that
impelled her to this rash act, as stated by herself, were that
Foote had accomplished her ruin, under promise of marriage, and
then refused to make good his promise. That this is true he
solemnly and emphatically denies, and his friends who are as
numerous as those of Miss Green, assert that a chronic love of
notoriety, induced mainly by the reading of yellow covered, blood
and thunder romances, was the real reason for this attempt upon
the life of the man she professes to love. From the Journal of
that town we condense the following particulars of the affair,
from which our readers can draw their own conclusions:
Wallace H. Foote is teller of the First National Bank of this
city. He has been elected to this position twice by the suffrages
of the directors of the bank. There is yet to be an instance in
which he has abused the confidence of those who have confided in
him. His conduct since his residence in Wyoming has been
exemplary, and his attentiveness to business has won for him many
warm friends. He is about twenty-four years of age, in build
heavy set, of rather low stature, wears his face smooth, is good
looking, dresses plainly, but genteel. In disposition he is
retiring, and by some would probably be called backward, and
withal is a young man whose appearance would indicate that he is
not guilty of such serious charges as are laid at his door.
Etta Green is a daughter of Thomas Green, Esq., one of the oldest
settlers and much respected citizen. Miss Green is about
seventeen years of age. She is rather handsome, of medium
stature, has a beautiful form, is a blond, and in disposition
(until the sad denouement which we are about to give an account
of commenced) was of a vivacious, lively turn, loved fun,
appeared well, and withal was not only very attractive, but
fascinating enough to start cupid’s arrows to darting in
many young gallants’ brows. Her conduct until the last three
months has been lady like, and her manner at that time did not
indicate that she possessed the latent furies which she is now
exhibiting to such an alarming extent.
In December last Mr. Foote first kept company with Miss Green
accompanying her to a festival given by the Masonic society. Not
long after this club dance was organized, they were both members
and regular attendants. Previous to the time that Mr. Foote began
going with her she had kept company with a telegraph operator at
Centre Junction, by the name of T. Harry McKelvy. She states that
she was engaged to this gentlemen and that the engagement had
been broken shortly after she had been keeping company with Mr.
Foote. It was now noticed generally that he was quite frequently
with her and that she evinced quite an attachment for him, which
was averse to the wishes of her parents, who had forbid her
keeping his company.
The parents finding that she was determined to keep company with
Mr. Foote, concluded to not interfere with her. It was soon
noticed that Mr. Foote was not paying her as much attention as
formerly, and that he seldom was seen with her.
On Sunday evening the 12th of June, Miss Etta was down town and
exhibited to several persons a six shooter, heavily loaded, with
which she said that she “was going to blow Foote’s
brains out unless he done as he agreed to.” She sent word to
Foote that she wanted him, and he made his appearance. They took
a walk down the street and he, during the evening, took the
revolver from her, and she returned home. It was now currently
reported upon the streets, that she was enceinte and in fact
openly asserted it herself and that it was by Foote. That in fact
under promise of marriage, he had seduced her, and had not come
up to the terms of the contract, and she proposed that he should.
On Friday evening, June 18th, Foote went to Onslow, accompanied
by a young man named Hurd, and returned about 10 o’clock.
They immediately went to the room that Foote occupies in Johnson
Block with the intention of retiring. As they turned to go
through the hall, after leaving the top of the stairway, Hurd
said he believed there was someone sitting there. They went into
their room, a lamp was lit, and Hurd returned to the hall. Before
he had advanced far (and as yet he had seen no one) the light was
blown out by a current of air, and he returned to the room and
the door was immediately closed after him, and at the same time
someone was heard to fall heavily against the door. Foote lit the
lamp while Hurd remained at the door. When Foote returned to the
door, a noise of bottles rattling against each other, and soon a
gulping, gurgling sound, as though some one was taking medicine,
and a moment after a heavy fall accompanied with loud and
terrible screaming “I have taken poison, I have taken
poison, help, help.” The door was immediately opened and
Miss Etta Green was lying prostrate on the floor. Hurd endeavored
to assist her up, while Foote went for Doc Calkins, who would not
come until he got Mr. Green, which was done, and it was
ascertained that she had taken a large dose of strychnine. She
was immediately taken to her home, and every means was used to
save her life, though Dr. Calkins found it a rather difficult
task. At times she lay very low, and her life was despaired of.
But she recovered after a month’s sickness and is now well.
During Miss Green’s sickness, Mr. Green, who had hitherto
refrained from interfering in any manner, or even saying anything
about the affair, sent for Foote, as he wished to see him. Foote
went to Mr. Green’s residence that evening and he strongly
denied that there had been anything criminal since he had kept
company with Miss Green.
On Wednesday morning, June 22, Miss Green again put an appearance
at the Bank and demanded of Foote “that he do as he had
agreed to.” Foote made but few replies, and she playfully
threw notes of thousands of dollars from one desk to another,
while he began to pick them up and put them in the safe and also
the tin cash box, and other valuables. She finally told him she
was going to Anamosa that morning to procure a marriage license,
further that he must pay the doctor bill while she was sick, and
she then took her departure taking the train north for Centre
Junction.
On Monday afternoon last, at about 1 o’clock, Miss Green
arrived in Wyoming on the train from the north, and immediately
betook herself to the bank where Foote was busy with the daily
routine of business. Foote came around the front of the counter,
which runs nearly across the room, except at one end where there
is a door, his intentions being to keep her from going in the
rear of the counter. There had hardly been any conversation
between them, before she drew a five-barreled revolver of Smith
and Wesson make carrying about a quarter of an ounce ball, and
fired, apparently at the abdominal regions. Foote jumped behind
the picket gate, drawing it to after him, and stooped down behind
the counter. She went to the delivery window, and fired at him
again, the ball passing an inch above his head, through his hat,
through a door panel, and into the wall. By this time a crowd had
gathered on the sidewalk, and Milo Van Horn and Tom Reynolds
rushed in and succeeded in throwing her arm up so the pistol
discharged and went in the ceiling. The mayor soon made his
appearance, took possession of the pistol, and ordered her
arrested. She was fined $1.00 and costs for discharging firearms
within the city limits contrary to ordinance, released and is now
at home.
Miss Green openly states that Mr. Foote is guilty of breach of
promises and seduction, and he per contra, as stoutly asserts
there has been no wrong-doing or promises of any kind on his
part. The reader can draw his or her own conclusions. Legal
proceedings have not as yet, as near as we can learn, been
instituted by any of the parties concerned.
[transcribed by K.W., June 2009]