Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-12-01

The Murderer Was George Donovan, and
They Both Loved the Same Woman.
Donovan Has Disappeared-He May Be
Drowned.
NEW HAVEN Dec. 1.-The murder Of John
d. King, son Of ex-supcrintendent Victor
King Of the Winchester armory, who was
shot IN front OF Donovan's saloon, corner oi
Orchard and Charles streets, has been cleared
up, but the murderer is yet at large or elsa
no has committed suicide. The affair
promised 20 add to the long list Of Connecti.
cuts mysterious murders, but this Is pre-
vented by the good work Of the New Haven
police department and Coroner Mix.
II is now established beyond the shadow of
possibility of doubt that the person who
murdered King was George Donovan, son ot
the proprietor Of the saloon IN front OF which
the murder took place. The motive was that
both were attentive and intimate with tbs
same woman, and that Donovan shot King
out Of jealousy. King has always moved IN
the best society. and the fact is now evident
that he was intimate with many women.
Jack King and George Donovan were nti-
mate friends
After Jack had brought his father. sister
and brother TO the city from West Haven,
and left them, he drove to Donovan's saoon.
Harry Donovan, another son of the proprie-
tor, was behind the bar. Jack called foa
gin. Then George came in and asked Jack
10 take another drink. Both wont out ON
the sidewalk They talked there, and were
recognized by two persons They had bean
there but five minutes when four pistol
shots were fired in quick succession.
Four men William Jones and Charles Pitt,
the barkeeper, William Forsyth, and Charles
Morgan--rushed out as King reeed and ielL
He said he was shot He was asked who did
the decd George Donovan y was the an-
swer He died a few minutes afterward
When tho police arrived these men said that
he did not say who shot him. Thoy denied
that George had been IA the saloon at all,
and asserted that he went away in the morn
ing.
Coroner Mix gives out the full details Of
the case AS soon as the shots were fired
Donovan ran down Orchard street 10 "A va
cant lot jumped over the fence and fled
down the lot, going between two houses. He
turned 20 his left and entered barn. Here
he hid himself among some old junk, after
which all trace OF him is lost, as the ground
became hard and his footprints could not be-
seen.
a nowsboy named Hall saw Donovan fire
tho shots He did not know who IL was, but
his description Of the man Tailed exactly
with that Of Donovan At the time DonovaH
had on no overcoat, but wore a slouch hat,
! The police have learned from Donovana
brother-in-law TINT Immediately after thu
| shooting he went to this barn and told George
that the man wns going 10 die and That hs
had better skip. Cramer went back and 70.
turned with Donovnns overcoat The Dono
van family here practically admitted that
George shot King, and everything points "a
its being premeditated
DOnoyans coat was found beside the city
reservoir and his hat fioated On the water.
In the pockets was the revolver, a 3s-calibeH
one Four shots were missing, and the balIa
that took effect in Kings body were 81
caliber ones. Bits Of a telegram were found.
One had on IL 'onOvan,n with the letter u
left off.
When It was thought that the murder wns
committed over q woman scrape Kings
room was searched Several packages Of
letters. all from women. were found, and
also directory Of twenty five names Of mar
ried, single and divorced women. few
names were scratched off with lead pencil
II is the general opinion that the coat and
hat were carried 10 the reservoir 70 mislead
the police, and that Donovan is at large II,
may be, by this time, out Of the state Thh
undoubtedly is true, il the murder was pra
meAitatcd, which IL doubtless waS
Meanwhile the police al proceeding on th'
theory that the murderer u at large, and
they are trying their best TO find him. Hi
family is reticent and will not say word
The murdered man was about - years old
Donovan is about %. He has slight mus
tache and is good looking