NEWS: Frederick RITTER Arrested, 1903, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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ALLEGED SHOOTING

Frederick Ritter Arrested
Charged with Trying to Shoot Himself and His Wife

  Frederick Ritter, a teamster, 50 years old, living at 1305 1/2 First avenue, 
was locked up yesterday charged with attempting to shoot himself and his wife.  
About a month ago Ritter's household goods were levied on for rent.  Constable 
McGinley went to Ritter's home yesterday morning for the purpose of serving a 
landlord's distress warrant.  He was met at the door by Mrs. Ritter, who said 
that her husband was upstairs and that she would go up and tell him.  She was 
gone but a few minutes, when the officer heard a number of shots from a 
revolver and in a short time Ritter appeared at the door, flourishing the 
weapon in a menacing way.  Constable McGinley went to Alderman S. S. B. 
Ramey's office and made information against him, charging him with wantonly 
firing off a revolver and threatening to kill his wife.
  Accompanied by Special Officer John Bradley, McGinley then returned to 
Ritter's home and he was placed under arrest and locked up at the police 
station.
  Before leaving the house, he bade his little girl good-bye and said she 
would not see him again.  Ritter told the officers that he intended to kill 
himself and it is feared that he will attempt to carry out his threat.
  When arrested, Ritter denied that he tried to shoot himself or his wife.  He 
said that a man residing at Sandy Run gave him the revolver on Saturday and 
told him that it was no good, as the cylinder would not revolve while the 
cartridges were in it.  He said that he was examining the revolver, when it 
was accidentally discharged.

Altoona Times, July 14, 1903