Courier Aug. 24, 1896 Bernice Stringer Receives a Fatal Bullet Wound.
On Sunday evening Bernice A. Stringer accidentially wounded herself fatally with a revolver belonging to Mortimer S. Aldridge. This happened at her home, No. 360 Moseley Street, at 10:50 o'clock.

Aldridge had been keeping company with the young lady for two years, and they had arranged to be married in the spring.

The story, as told by him and confirmed by her in her ante-mortem statement made to Magistrate Rushton at Sherman hospital, is as follows:

Miss Stringer came down town on her bicycle at 7 o'clock Sunday evening, stopping at the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul depot to see the excursionists leave. When she returned to her home she found Mr. Aldridge awaiting her. She upbraided him in a playful way for not having visited her more frequently of late, and the evening was spent in conversation. Mrs. Stringer, her mother, was in the room until after 9 o'clock, when she retired. As she was leaving the room she said "Children, don't sit up all night."

Aldridge remained until 10:15 o'clock when he arose to take leave. He had been riding on his bicycle a considerable distance during the day, and was very warm. His coat had been lying on the sofa. He put it on and stood with his right arm around her back. They were facing each other. Aldridge said "Good night, Bernice." She asked for a package of candy he had told her he had. Aldridge said it was in his coat, and she reached for the pocket. It was on the right side of the coat, which is a light one with outside pockets. Putting her hand inside she gave a tug at the bag of candy, bringing with it a revolver which was in the pocket. He exlaimed "Be careful, Bernice, my gun is there." The sharp report of the revolver followed, and Miss Stringer sank to the floor exclaiming "I have shot myself."

The blood flowed from a wound in the abdomen into her clothing and the carpet.

Aldridge had still had his hand on her shoulder, and was paralyzed with horror. He stood gazing in bewilderment at the prostrate form of the young lady an instant, but was aroused by the entrance of her brother, Clarence, who had been in the room above, and, hearing the shot, had hurried to the parlor. As he entered he saw the revolver lying on the sofa, where it had fallen outside the coat pocket, and thinking Aldridge had shot his sister, seized the weapon. Aldridge exclaimed "Don't shoot me," and took hold of the young man. A struggle followed, and the result might have been another tragedy but for the appearance of Joseph Gibson of 341 Jewett street, who was passing. He heard the shot, and stopped on the sidewalk. On overhearing Aldridge's exclamation and the sounds of a struggle he went to the door.

Miss Stringer lay on the floor mortally wounded. She called to her brother in a faint voice. Gibson tried the door, and finding it was not locked, entered. He took possession of the revolver, and the struggle ceased for a moment, during which Aldridge exclaimed that "It was an accident." Stringer asked his sister who had shot her. She replied "I pulled the trigger." He handed the revolver to Gibson and started for medical assistance.

Clarence Stringer telephoned to the home of Dr. Pelton, and the physician responded promptly. Miss Stringer and Aldridge were there and attempting to relieve the wounded girl. An examination showed the wound to be a very serious one, and he directed that she be removed to the hospital.

In the meantime the police department had been notified. Officers Swift and Shannon went with the patrol wagon. When the entered the house Aldridge was in a state of nervous excitement, bordering on delirium. He exclaimed, "Here, I am the man wo did the deed," and walked up to Officer Swift, who took charge of him. He was taken to police headquarters by the officer, and on the way expressed regret that he struggled with Stringer and had not allowed him to end it by putting a bullet into his own brain. He said he tried to get the gun to kill himself but failed.

On Chicago street they crossed the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul track ahead of a freight train, and when it approached Aldridge turned back, with the evident intention of throwing himself under the wheels, but the officer prevented him from doing so. At the station he was very much excited during the night, and talked constantly of the accident. He declared he loved her better than his own life, and would gladly take her place.

Clarence Stringer appeared later and went to the home of John Brown, in whose office he is a law student. Brown went to Sherman hospital in company with Magistrate Rushton and took Bernice's statement previous to the operation. She was asked who shot her, and replied, "Mortimer Aldridge." When told to give the particulars she said the shooting was accidential, she put her hand in his pocket to get some candy and got hold of the trigger of the revolver by accident. In withdrawing her hand the weapon was discharged and she received the wound. The attending physician would not inform her that the wound was mortal at the time, as they had made no through examination and could not do so until an anesethetic had been administered. They were in doubt whether she would survive or not, and an ante-mortem statement given by her in the expectation that she would die cannot be taken. As the statement, contradictory, it is evident her mind was not clear at the time. The main facts, however, are in accordance with the statement of Aldridge.

The following is her sworn statement:

"Bernice A. Stringer, being duly sowrn, on oath deposes and says was shot on the 2nd day of August 1896, in Kane county, Illinois by Mortimer S. Aldridge. The shooting was accidental. He came over to see me and brought some candy. I put my hand in his pocket and got hold of the revolver instead of the candy and pressed the trigger and it went off and shot me. Bernice Stringer."

From the hospital they went to the police station where the statement of Aldridge was taken. It is as follows:

"Mortimer S. Aldridge, being duly sworn, deposes and says, "I had my right arm on Bernice's shoulder. My coat was lying on the sofa in the first place. When I got up to go I put my coat on. It was about fifteen minutes past 10 p.m. I was very warm. I came over to one corner of the room with a bundle under my left arm. I said, "Good night, Bernice"; she said "Good night--where's my candy?" I said, "It is there in my pocket." She reached for the candy and tugged at it, at the same time pulling the revolver out of my pocket, the barrel up. She pulled the revolver and the candy from my pocket at the same time. It was the right pocket. I said, "Be careful, Bernice, my gun is in there." I did not take my hand from her shoulder at the same time. The words had no sooner left my mouth when the report came. She said, "I have shot myself.
"Mortimer S. Aldridge."

The following is the statement of the brother of Miss Stringer:

"Clarence R. Stringer, being duly sworn, deposes and says, "I came down stairs late in the evening of August 24, 1896, at my home in Elgin, Kane county, Illinois, found my sister Bernice shot and lying on the floor. The revolver was lying on the floor beside her. I grabbed the revolver, and Aldridge cried, "Don't shoot me," and tried to wrestle it out of my hands and after I came into posession of the revolver, leaning over my sister, I asked her who did the shooting. She told me she pulled the trigger accidentally which discharged the gun. I then turned the pistol over to Joseph Gibson and came to the police station to ring up a doctor.
"Clarence Stringer"

Marshall Pallou was called from his home and it was decided the evidence obtained did not warrant the holding of Aldridge for the shooting, but in his excited state of mind it was not safe to release him, and he was held until 7:30 o'clock this morning, when he left to go to his desk in the watch factory. After a long conversation with the Marshall and Sergeant Munshaw he became more calm, and before he was released promised to do no harm to himself.

Bernice Stringer is a daughter of Jesse Stringer, an old resident of Elgin. She was born at Strawberry Point, Iowa, where her parents were then residing. They returned to Elgin when she was quite young. At the age of sixteen she was married to William Ranssler, a carpenter, and soon after removed to Chicago. Her life with him was unpleasant, and she left him two years later on account of his cruelty, and returned to the home of her parents. Two years ago she obtained a divorce in the city court on the grounds of cruelty. At that time she was employed at Swan department store and soon after found employment in the motion departemnt of the watch factory where she had been engaged since. Her age is 21 years.

She was one of the first lady bicyclists here and became an expert winning prizes at meetings at various places.

M. S. Aldridge is employed at the main office of the watch factory, and is an officer in the Rigin Cycling club. He was married a few years ago to Miss Clyde Millard. They separated two years ago and he was expecting a divorce this fall.

Dr. Peltion, the family physician who was summoned at 11:30 o'clock, notified the police to send the patrol wagon to convey the injured girl to Sherman hospital.

He found her lying upon the floor conscious but very faint, with a bullet hole two inches to the left of the medial line and in the center of the abdomoen.she had been vomiting blood and he saw the bullet had entered her stomach. He made a partial examination and advised her immediate removal to the hospital. She was taken there at once and the physicians made arrangements for the necessary operation. He was assisted by Drs. Burlingame, Clark, Taylor and Mann.

The patient was placed under the influence of anesthetics and the abdoment was opened. The bullet, of 32-caliber, had passed through both walls of the stomach and made five openings into the small intestines, which were lacerated and torn to a great degree. The ball passed just below the kidney and lodged just beneath the skin at the side of the spine. It was removed by making an incision through the skin. The ball grazed the left principal artery and many of the smaller arteries and veins were badly lacerated and torn.

The operation was one of the most difficut and delicate ever performed in Elgin and it required much time to sew up and replace the torn intestines and arteries.

Dr. Pelton considers her condtiion very serious and states that the chances are against her recovery. The immediate danger is from secondary hemorrhage on account of the torn condition of the veins and arteries.

She was very weak from loss of blood but remained consciousness until placed under the influence of the anesthetic and stood the operation well. She was conscious after the affects of the plates had worn away and seemed quite bright this morning.

Although the wound is a most dangerous one,cases are known where the patient has recovered from similar injuries. Such are, however, exceptional.

The police took possession of the clothes worn by her at the time of the shooting. They are saturated with blood and the dress is burned by the powder.

The revolver, a small one of 32-caliber, is of the Iver Johnson pattern and was carried to shoot dogs which frequently annoy bicyclists while riding. Aldridge had been to Sycamore and St. Charles and had the weapon in his pocket as usual. It is generally placed in the pocket with the barrel to the rear, butt the muzzle was toward the front of the pocket, Sunday. He left his companions at St. Charles and rode rapidly to Elgin in order to keep his engagement with Bernice.

Elgin Courier Aug. 27, 1896 Bernice Stringer is Dead.
Bernice Stringer died at Sherman hospital, at a few minutes after 1 o'clock today.

She had been gradually sinking since she received the fatal wound, Sunday evening last. The cause of death was nervous shock. The attending physician successfully performed the delicate operation necessary, and had she been able to survive the shock she might have eventually have recovered.

Wednesday she suffered greatly and became very restless. The physicians then feared death was near. They exhausted their skill in attempting to assist the nervous system, but she was not sufficiently strong to rally, and grew gradully weaker until death ensued.

She was born at Strawberry Point, Iowa, and spent most of her life in Elgin. Her age was 22 years.

Her parents, sister and brothers were with her at the time of her death.

Three sisters, Gertrude, Blanche and Emma, and two brothers, Clarence and Percy, reside here. Two brothers, John, of Iowa, and Howard, of New York, are also here.

A post mortem examination is being held late this afternoon. M. S. Aldridge has requested an inquest.