This afternoon I got a

This afternoon I got a telephone message from a woman calling herself Ethel Conrad.

She told me where she was and said she had some letters that I had written to Miss Graham.

She said Miss Graham had sailed yesterday on the

Baltic, and that if I wanted the letters, I must come right away, as she expected to return to New

Orleans with her brother at any time. I knew of Miss Graham, but I couldn't remember that I had ever

written her any letters. I decided anyhow to go up and see about it,

and I got there about ten minutes of six.

I'd no sooner entered the parlor of the apartment

before both women faced me, and the door was locked behind me at once.

I believe the women were alone in the apartment. Miss Graham then said she had some letters of

mine and wanted $25,000 for them, but she made no move to show me any letters. Then both women

drew revolvers from their dresses at about the same time and pointed them at me. I thought they were

only showing a little bravado and that they would soon cool down, but the first thing I knew,

Miss Graham fired. The shot hit me in the right thigh. In spite of the wound, I jumped up and tried to run out of range of the

pistol. Miss Graham was right behind me, and she fired a second shot that entered the calf of my right

leg. Then she jumped toward me and pushed the barrel of the pistol against my stomach. I grabbed her hand and turned the weapon away

just as she fired. My hand was so close that it was burned by the powder. I then had hold of both

Miss Graham's hands and got the gun away from her, but as I did so, she called to Miss Conrad,

now it's your turn, shoot him.

I got Miss Graham in front of me and used her as a shield,

but Miss Conrad fired three shots in such a way that they would miss her friend.

...