Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-07
THEY DIED TOGETHER.
A Shocking Tragedy IN q Quiet Home ON
Capitol Hill.

A Shocking Tragedy IN q Quiet Home on
Capitol Hill.
ARTIST MONTAGUE KILLS HIS WIFE AND THEN HIM
sELF-AN APPARENT AGREEMENT TO LEAVE THE
WORLD ToeETHER-PovERrY AND SICKNESS SUP
POSED TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE.
Throngs Of people stood in front Of neat
two-story brick dwelling. SIS 4th street north
east, all yesterday afternoon, talked in hushed
tones and looked up in sort of awe-stricken
way at the second-story windows. In that
room, stretched upon bed, lay the bodies of
a man and woman, their clothing and the
bedding being stained with their life blood It
was q case OF suicide. 1t might be called
a double suicide. for though the fatal shots
were fired by one hand, that of the man,
there was evidence that the woman had con-
scented to die with him. The man was an
artist. Fearnleigh l.. Montague. and the woman
ms wife. Ernestine. In the room they occu-
pied while living, and which was the scene Of
the tragedy. were evidences of the fact that it
was an artists home. Tables were strcwn with
Viais, lemons glasses and other articles midi
eatlne that 1t was the home of an invalid.
Inc tragedy occurred little after / o'clock.
There were but few facts to be learned at the
noase by the reporters. A lady who was ill in
an adjoining room heard two mufied reports
and groan. The sound was SO slight that peo-
PIE In other parts of the house did not bear it.
Inc lady at once made known her fears to her
husband, and an attempt was made to enter the
room OF the Montague's, but the door was
locked.
HOW THE TRAGEDY OCCURRED.
Police Officer wannall was found in the
neighborhood and called in. He forced the
door open and the sight that met his eyes and
those that followed him was horrify ing. Mon
tague lay hfeless upon the right side of the
bed, partially dressed, blood streaming from
his mouth. His wife lay by his side, her feet,
however, resting on the floor. Her dress was
stained with blood. Between the two and be-
meath Montague's right hand, which had
fallen to his side, was the revolver
with which the bloody work had been
done. The revolver had been fired apparently
first in the mouth of the woman and then in
the mouth OF the man. There we're marks Of
powder on the womans face and her cheek had
been lacerated by the explosion. Death, it was
thought, had been almost instantaneous in
both cases The manner in which the fatal
shots were fired indicated that the method Of
the suicide had been carefully thought out.
The barrel of the revolver had been placed in
the mouth. and this was what muffied the
sound. The bullets crashed through the brain.
Mrs. Montague was neatly dressed in white.
MIR. Montague was of English birth and fifty
seven years old. He had resided here off and
on for about twelve years and was we'll known
as an artist. His wife was but thrty-one years
OF age and most iadylike in appearance.
The house where he roomed is the residence
OF MIR. +. l.. Babendreier, piano tuner. Mon
tague and his wife came there to lodge about
four mouths ago, and during all tina. time MIR.
Montague had been an invalid. He was despon-
dent and talked sometimes Of killing himself
HE TALKED OF SUICIDE.
upon several occasions" said Mr. Baben-
dreier In giving an account Of the tragic affair
yesterday, "he had threatened his life, and
told him he must not talk that way Once he
told me OF having put the pistol in his mouth,
tempted to shoot himself. ! told him he was
NOT dangerously III and would recover. His
wife seemed much devoted to him and waited
upon him day and night. Today my sister in
law helped Mrs. Montague in Il king the room and
to place him in the window for a sun bath He
had been ceanlydressedb by hls wife. and my sister
said something about not placing him 80 near
the window IN his underclothes, as people could
see him. She replied that she guessed man
that was going to die had right to be dressed
and look out. After my sister finished she
went out and came down stairs. As soon as she
did so my wife heard Mrs. Montague come and
lock the door and draw the curtain. Hardly
minute passed, she says, before the first shot
was fired and then the second"
Dr.. hlngsman of Capitol Hill, who was called
in to see Montague last Tuesday. said he was
afraid Montague would kill himself, as he had
e.iHeu VI ~ anu ttihtu VI putting THE pistol In
his mouth. The doctor said Montague suffered
with complication of heart and stomach
trouble, and would probably not have recoy-
cred. DIR. Kingsman said Montague's wife
SAID In the sick mans presence that
she knew he would die, which of
course was not calculated to cheer him He
told her to cheer him up and take his pistol
away and she had answered, MOL would sooner
buy new bullets. don't see any use of Il man
suffering that way when he can relieve him
sell. Dr. hlngsman made a call at the house
Yesterday morning Il talked with him." he
said, land he seemed cheerful and she
Followed me down stairs and asked me what
thought about him. said she must not
worry, he was doing nicely, but she must take
more rest, as she was getting sick from caring
for him She said Yes, rather absently aud
went back i was not surprised to hear of the
tragedy, and am satisfied it was a precon-
ceiyed plan for him to kill her and then him
self.
LETTERS LEFT BEHIND.
In box on the table in the room we're
found a number Of letters One that was sealed
had been addressed by Montague to Senator
Stockbridge. There was an envelope also ad-
dressed to Montague's wife. 1t was addressed
to her as This darling wife and dated Febru-
airy 90, a fact that made those vino inyesti-
gated the case believe that he contemplated
committing suicide OH that day and had writ
ten a letter of farewell to his wife.
There was found also ladys gold watch and
diamond ring. in an old English setting, the
stone probably weighing three carats Four
dollars in bills, q few dollars in specie and q
solid gold gentleman . watch chain were found
elsewhere in the room, which were all OF value
discovered except some pictures of Montagues
II was thought that Montague was IN strait
ened circumstances and this ract together with
his physical suffering, had produced the
dependency that led to the tragedy.
TO BE BURIED BY FRIENDs
Coroner Patterson, after viewing the bodies
yesterday, had them removed to Lees under
taking establishment to be prepared for burial
Coroner Patterson investigated the case and
deemed an inquest unnecessary. He gave GER
tificates of death in accordance with the facts
This morning three gentlemen who knew
Montague arranged to defray the expenses of
a respectable burial, which will be given the
remains tomorrow afternoon in Rock Creek
cemetery. Rev. DIR. Bartlett of the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church will be asked to
Oficiate.
MoNrAaUE's PAINTINGS.
So far as known Montague and his wife had