New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-22
SHOT HIMSELF FOR LOVE
ApRueeIsT FIRES TWICE AT a WOMAN,
osp BULLET GRAZING H. cHEEK-HE THEN
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE.

nrF BULLET GRAZING H. CHEEK-HE THEN
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE.
An attempted murder and suicide occurred yes
,aav morning in One-hundred- and thirty -ifth-st
Yames B. Dempsey was formerly wellto-do and a
,art nroprietor of the drug store at One-hundred-
I'd .tbirtv-Hfth-st. and Seventh-ave About two
,,ortbs aso the store proved unproftable and
nsmnsev was obliged to give it up, and only sue
..ased in saving q small amount of money from
,hs store. This was quickly spent and then he
,,,os eutirelv without resources. While in the
srus store Dempsey became acquainted with Miss
uslsn r. Stesbins, who is niece OF George II.
storm She lives at her uncle's house, No. 214
west one-hundred- and thirty ffth-st., across the
.,rest from the drug store. Dempsey fell in love
NTH Miss Stebbins but she gave him no encour-
aoement, He asked her to marry him, but was
cromptly rejected. This did not seem to discour-
soe him and he in December became so assiduous
a. his snit that Miss tebbins left town to avoid
him. =
ITnon her return Dempsey called and threatened
to shoot her IL she did not marry him. On Satur-
aav evening Miss Stebbins went out to the sta
.jopers and upon her return met Dempsey in front
~ her house. He said that he had something to
tal her ard asked her to take short walk with
him AS they walked along One-hundred-and-
tbirtv-dfth-st he drew forth a pistol and said
chat ba had decided to kill her unless she at once
eonssnted 70 marry him. Miss Stebbins ran to
her home and, as Dempsey was lame, she easily
oot ayvay from him. In the evening he sent her
Two notes. asking her to marry him, but no at
fention was paid TO them.
YESTERDAY, at l0:45 q. M, there was ring at
che basement bell, and Miss Stebbins went to the
door AS soon as she unlocked it. the door was
onshed open and Dempsey fired shot at her, which
INST Qrazed her hand. She closed with him and
..ajied for help. Mr.. Storm rushel downstairs
end was fred at twice by the mad
dened man. Dempsey then turned his
stfention to Miss Stebbins, and fired at
her. this bullet inticting a slight wound in her
eheek She cried, II am shotl" and fell TO the
Soor. Dempsey, thinking his work accomplished
turned the pistol upon himself and sent bullet
into his brain. He became unconscious at once:
An ambulance was called and he was taken TO
he Manhattan Hospital, at One-hundred and thirty
first,st. and Tenth-ave., where it was found that
the bullet had entered his brain through the
right eye He did not become conscious, and
died half an hour after reaching the hospital.
Dempsey was twenty mine years old. After the
failure of his drugstore he lived in fiat at
No. 243 West Northumberland thirty -ifth-st,
with German family who knew his
condition and took pity on
him. Insanity is thought to be the cause OF the
shooting, and at one time he was confined in an
asylum for q few days.
Miss Stebbins, when seen last evening, was suf-
fering greatly from nervousness. She said that
for some time she had had fears for her life
Dempsey is said to have been addicted TO the use
Of morphine.