Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-01
THE BROOKLYN TRAGEDY.
Hunting Evidence to Discredit Mrs. Col
stocks story-Larbig's Insurance Policie

| Hunting Evidence to Discredit Mrs. Com
stocks story-Larbig's Insurance Policies.
The killing Of Theodore Larbig by Darwin J.
Meserole Saturday night in the apartments in
Brooklyn Of Mrs Dovie Comstock, formerly
Miss Dovie Forney, still has sensational interest
in New York and will continue to have at least
until after the inquest this evening, when it is
supposed all the facts will come out Mean
time much importance is laid on the discovery
that Larbig had had an accident policy on his
life in favor of Mrs. Comstock as tending to
suggest a motive for the shooting. Mrs. Com
stock is reported to have stated to the district
attorney that Larbig had insured his life in her
favor for $4,000 This statement, however, is
doubted. 1t appears that two insurance papers
were found in Larbig's coat pocket. One was
an accident policy for 5000 and good for a
trip from New York to Chicago. This was pay
| able to Mrs d. +. Comstock, but it had ex-
pired when Larbig reached Chicago safely.
The other paper WAS a notice from an insur-
ance society stating that Larbig would lose his
insurance unless he paid premiums then due.
MEsERoLE AND MRS. coMsroCK.
1t is said that young Meserole's acquaintance
with Mrs Comstock has extended over a much
longer period than he has represented, and that
it was his infatuation for her which led to his
trip to Europe about year ago. his father, Gen.
Meserole, thinking that a prolonged absence
abroad might wean him from his demoralizing
associations with the woman. Such relations,
1t Is alleged. have existed between Meserole
and the woman as to give strong plausibility to
the theory that the shooting was the result Of
an outburst of Jealous rage on his part. The
detectives and reporters are apparently study
ing the field closely with a view to discrediting
and perhaps disproving the story of the shoot
ing as told by Mrs. Comstock and Meserole
1t Is even suggested that Mrs. Comstock and
not MesprOla Tiled arhiO ia lain hat
Larbigs nature was SO good and gentle that
tine statement that he attacked and was beat
ing Mrs. Comstock refutes itself. Another
point raised Is that Larbigs coat was found
and the question 10 asked whether he would
have removed his coat in order to beat q
woman. The folded coat, il is claimed, also
tends to discredit Mrs Comstock's statement
as to the suddenness of the fatal affray.
WHAT THE PROSECUTION MAY CLAIM.
The New York Herald today says: This is the
story Of the killing which in all likelihood the
prosecution will tell the jury and which heard
from reliable authority: Larbig returned I'M
exPectedly from three weeks business trip
and found Meserole in Mrs. Comstock's rooms
at noon on Saturday. There was a short quar-
rel, but Larbig gave Mrs. Comstock SIS and
left the fiat, going to Sheepshead Bay with
Sos In his pocket. Then he went to Brighton
Beach, where he saw young Meserole and the
Comstock woman. Larbig had been drinking
and followed the man and woman from the
Brighton to the Sackett street flat. He knocked
at the door, was admitted, walked into the
front parlor, put his hat on the piano and tax
ing of his coat hung it over a chair. He then
informed Meserole that he had better get out,
as he U-arbig) intended staying there himself
that night
Then Meserole said
If you have better right here than have
will get out
The Comstock woman had already told Lar
big she did not want him there, and when
Meserole offered to go she interfered and told
him not to go. Larbig grew angry and started
for Meserole, hitting him a slight blow. Mrs.
Comstock interfered and was hit in the right
eye. / am told there are no marks at all under
that bandage on her throat
Meserole drew his pistol when Mrs Comstock
was hit and threatened to shoot Larbig. The
woman had received glancing blow that
blackened her eye and made her nose bleed
She ran into the back room crying:
Don't shoot him Don't shoot him.
The men were still quarreling and the woman
ran into the hall. Then Meserole shot twice
and, without putting on his shirt seized his
coat and followed the Comstock woman into
the hall, saying:
"Dovie. Dovie, I've killed him.
Ii was at the station house that Mrs Com
stock wiped the blood from her nose saw
the towel she used, and she could not have been
long coming, for the blood had not even
triekled down as far as the neck of her dress.