The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-18
And Then Kills His Miserable Self
In the Presence of Hor Pupils.
She Taught School and Supported
tho Worthless Our
And Thon Hal to Leave Him ON
Account OF His Abuse.
The Bloody Crime is Committed in the
Room OF n Public School in WASH
ington 90 A Paaic Almost Pro-
duced Among tho Children.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE little girls
attending the third grade in the Jefferson
Public School building in the southern
section OF this city, were standing in the
aislcs OF the schoolroom at o'clock this
afternoon about to bid school bood-bye
until tomorrow, when their teacher, Mrs.
Sarah T.. Allen, was fatally shot in their
presence by her worthless husband, VINO
then killed himself Allen had boon sup
ported by the earnings Of his wife until
some time ago when she left him on ac-
count OF his dissipated habits aud frequent
abuse and violence, lilo has annoyed
and threatened her several times
since she refused to have any
thing more to do with him and
she had been warned vvry recently to I've
ware OF him. This afternoon Allen hired
cab on + Pennsylyania avenue, aud, after
stopping at saloon, told the driver he
wanted to 20 TO the Jefferson school build
ing. Arrived there, he babe the driver
wait for him, and Immediately went to the
room where his wife taught, and taking
out his reyolycr,a q small-sized British bull.
dog Of thirty.two caliber. in the cloak.
room, advanced toward his wife's desk.
The children were the tirst % see him, and
when they showed how startled they wcre
at his appearance. hc called on them not
To make amy noise or lac would shoot.
Mrs. Aliens attention had been mean
while attracted and she started TO move,
but her husband hy this time was upon
her and saying. "Nuw, I've got you where
lwant you, hc iircd at close range, the ball
taking effect near tie right cgrand passing
through the head. lie then turned the
pistol on himself aud inflicted fatal
wound, the bullet entering the right tcm.
Pile aud passing through the brain. Tho
murdered wife aud the suicide fell together
on the schoolroom iloor, his arm about
her neck aud the revolver lying on her
check. The startled, torrOr-strickcn chill
drcn almost created pane, hut some Of
the morc collected ui them succeeded in
restoring order. Police and physicians
| were summoned who did everything pos
siblc 10 make Mrs. Aliens last moments
free from pain. She lingcned only scmi-
conscious for some timc, aud then passed
| away. Her husband cXpir'l few min.
ules nf,cr the arrival OF the police
Mis-. Aliens maiden nImt was Johnson
Her father, Il. ". Johnson, IL an old aud
we'll known resident ol lhis city. About
thirteen years ngo, against the advice OF
her family aud l,icnis. she married her
husband, Oswald &. Allen, who came
from Churlotcs,il illc. Va. lie was known
ns worthless, indulcnt fellow with no
trade, but the woman seemed 10 be iniatn-
nicd with him. Tho marriage was an un-
happy one. and Mrs Allen frequently said
the only blessing resulting lrum il was tho
fact that no children were born 10 them.
She was q good teacher aud was retained
In the public schools Notwithstanding her
marriage and hcr husbands drunken aud
vicious habits She supported her hus-
baud until his abuse brcim' iniolcriblc,
when she left him. lie hns often been
srnt 10 the workhousc lpr vgrancy, aud
since ho came into the possession OF few
hundred dollars u short time ago lac has
been almost constantly In the hands OF tho
police for drunkenness.
About n month ago. while Allen was
being washed with coal oil in the work
housc, to rid him OF ycrmin, one OF his
fellow prisoners held a lighted match near
him and he was badly burned.