Stella Fenn, daughter of Louis H Fenn, and John Abbott, son of policeman John Abbott, married July 1, 1902 in a romantic elopement that was reported by the Atlanta Constitution. Their parents had objected to their marrying so young-Stella was 16, John 18. Seventeen years later in 1919, Stella shot John, by then a popular and daring fire truck driver of Atlanta. They'd long had marital discord over John's dalliances with other women.
Stella claimed that she shot him in self defense, and that they were tussling over the gun when it went off. However, witnesses on the scene said he was seated. She shot him in the presence of her father and their children, including 14 year old Johnny Abbott, who testified at the trial.
The catalyst for the killing was a phone call John Abbott received from a girlfriend, Mary Powers, a pretty young blonde divorcee, while he and his wife were playing cards with their boarders. The most credible story is that for an hour Mrs Abbott stormed about the house and cursed her husband vilely, made her children get out of bed, and waited for her father, LH Fenn, to arrive. She then forced John to admit that he was in love with Mary Powers, and she, enraged, snatched the pistol from a table and shot him in the heart, killing him instantly.
At the funeral home where Johnny Abbott's body lay, Mary Powers, hat off, hair down, tears streaming, stroked his hair and seized his face and kissed him on the lips. She had to be lifted from the corpse and carried out. Stella Abbott refused to look at him and remained composed.
A week after John Abbott was killed, a young woman, Lois Bright Gilbert (Mrs Hal), wife of an automobile and motorcyle racer and a partner in a garage, committed suicide at his grave. Her husband said she'd never known Abbott, that she appeared to not know him when they encountered Abbott. Abbott's friends at the firestation said that Lois and Johnny were frequently seen together.
Stella was twice tried and twice convicted of killing Johnny Abbott. She first drew 10 years, then 4 to 8 at the second conviction. The self made widow served very little time; she was pardoned and set free in late 1921, having served less than 2 years for the murder.
Stella claimed that she shot him in self defense, and that they were tussling over the gun when it went off. However, witnesses on the scene said he was seated. She shot him in the presence of her father and their children, including 14 year old Johnny Abbott, who testified at the trial.
The catalyst for the killing was a phone call John Abbott received from a girlfriend, Mary Powers, a pretty young blonde divorcee, while he and his wife were playing cards with their boarders. The most credible story is that for an hour Mrs Abbott stormed about the house and cursed her husband vilely, made her children get out of bed, and waited for her father, LH Fenn, to arrive. She then forced John to admit that he was in love with Mary Powers, and she, enraged, snatched the pistol from a table and shot him in the heart, killing him instantly.
At the funeral home where Johnny Abbott's body lay, Mary Powers, hat off, hair down, tears streaming, stroked his hair and seized his face and kissed him on the lips. She had to be lifted from the corpse and carried out. Stella Abbott refused to look at him and remained composed.
A week after John Abbott was killed, a young woman, Lois Bright Gilbert (Mrs Hal), wife of an automobile and motorcyle racer and a partner in a garage, committed suicide at his grave. Her husband said she'd never known Abbott, that she appeared to not know him when they encountered Abbott. Abbott's friends at the firestation said that Lois and Johnny were frequently seen together.
Stella was twice tried and twice convicted of killing Johnny Abbott. She first drew 10 years, then 4 to 8 at the second conviction. The self made widow served very little time; she was pardoned and set free in late 1921, having served less than 2 years for the murder.
Stella Fenn, daughter of Louis H Fenn, and John Abbott, son of policeman John Abbott, married July 1, 1902 in a romantic elopement that was reported by the Atlanta Constitution. Their parents had objected to their marrying so young-Stella was 16, John 18. Seventeen years later in 1919, Stella shot John, by then a popular and daring fire truck driver of Atlanta. They'd long had marital discord over John's dalliances with other women.
Stella claimed that she shot him in self defense, and that they were tussling over the gun when it went off. However, witnesses on the scene said he was seated. She shot him in the presence of her father and their children, including 14 year old Johnny Abbott, who testified at the trial.
The catalyst for the killing was a phone call John Abbott received from a girlfriend, Mary Powers, a pretty young blonde divorcee, while he and his wife were playing cards with their boarders. The most credible story is that for an hour Mrs Abbott stormed about the house and cursed her husband vilely, made her children get out of bed, and waited for her father, LH Fenn, to arrive. She then forced John to admit that he was in love with Mary Powers, and she, enraged, snatched the pistol from a table and shot him in the heart, killing him instantly.
At the funeral home where Johnny Abbott's body lay, Mary Powers, hat off, hair down, tears streaming, stroked his hair and seized his face and kissed him on the lips. She had to be lifted from the corpse and carried out. Stella Abbott refused to look at him and remained composed.
A week after John Abbott was killed, a young woman, Lois Bright Gilbert (Mrs Hal), wife of an automobile and motorcyle racer and a partner in a garage, committed suicide at his grave. Her husband said she'd never known Abbott, that she appeared to not know him when they encountered Abbott. Abbott's friends at the firestation said that Lois and Johnny were frequently seen together.
Stella was twice tried and twice convicted of killing Johnny Abbott. She first drew 10 years, then 4 to 8 at the second conviction. The self made widow served very little time; she was pardoned and set free in late 1921, having served less than 2 years for the murder.
Stella claimed that she shot him in self defense, and that they were tussling over the gun when it went off. However, witnesses on the scene said he was seated. She shot him in the presence of her father and their children, including 14 year old Johnny Abbott, who testified at the trial.
The catalyst for the killing was a phone call John Abbott received from a girlfriend, Mary Powers, a pretty young blonde divorcee, while he and his wife were playing cards with their boarders. The most credible story is that for an hour Mrs Abbott stormed about the house and cursed her husband vilely, made her children get out of bed, and waited for her father, LH Fenn, to arrive. She then forced John to admit that he was in love with Mary Powers, and she, enraged, snatched the pistol from a table and shot him in the heart, killing him instantly.
At the funeral home where Johnny Abbott's body lay, Mary Powers, hat off, hair down, tears streaming, stroked his hair and seized his face and kissed him on the lips. She had to be lifted from the corpse and carried out. Stella Abbott refused to look at him and remained composed.
A week after John Abbott was killed, a young woman, Lois Bright Gilbert (Mrs Hal), wife of an automobile and motorcyle racer and a partner in a garage, committed suicide at his grave. Her husband said she'd never known Abbott, that she appeared to not know him when they encountered Abbott. Abbott's friends at the firestation said that Lois and Johnny were frequently seen together.
Stella was twice tried and twice convicted of killing Johnny Abbott. She first drew 10 years, then 4 to 8 at the second conviction. The self made widow served very little time; she was pardoned and set free in late 1921, having served less than 2 years for the murder.
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