Hit by Five Bullets; Hurt? Certainly Not

1915

Leaden Pellets From Revolver Strike His Breast, but Leave Only Slight Bruises

ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 16. — A. W. Villard, 33 years old, signal operator of engine house No. 1, is apparently bulletproof. This was most convincingly demonstrated when S. W. Bacon, Jr., 36 years old, want ad manager of an Atlanta paper, fired five .32-caliber bullets "into" Villard from a revolver held a few inches from his body.

The shooting occurred in the Empire Life building, where Villard said he found Bacon in an office with Mrs. Villard, his wife, from whom the fireman has been separated for some time.

When Bacon started shooting at Villard, the latter was very close to the gun. Bacon fired at Villard's chest; the latter, said Bacon, instead of dropping to the floor, cursed him; Bacon fired again, and, he said, Villard cursed him again. This performance was repeated five times.

Then Bacon stood with the smoking, empty revolver in his hand, while Villard, somewhat dazed and confused from loud noise of the gun and the thumping shock of the five leaden pellets striking against his chest, reached down and picked up two of the bullets which hit him.

Later Villard picked out the other three bullets from against his skin, where they lodged harmlessly, leaving nothing more serious than blue bruises.

The police could not assign any reason for the bullets not taking fatal effect upon Villard, except that at the time Villard was wearing a heavy coat and overcoat.

Mrs. Villard, her husband declared, formerly worked for Bacon as a stenographer, and for about a year had been "going with" Bacon. For a long time Villard and wife have been living apart. He said he began to suspect recently that she was still going with Bacon. So, on the afternoon of the shooting he followed Bacon to the Empire Life building, and then up into the building and to an office of a friend of Bacon's, where the shooting occurred.