The herald., 1895-02-20
MOTIVE FOR THE MURDER
Why James Gentry Killed
Miss Madge YOrke
JUST A THEATRICAL ROW
A Member of the Baggage Check
Company the Cause
In Fit of Jealous Rage the Homicide Shot
the Unfortunate Woman-The Police
Still Looking for Him

Philadelphia, Feb. 19.-The real motive
for the murder Of Madge Yorke in this
city Sunday was revealed last evening
by Edward Magee, the leading juvenile
of the Baggage Check Company. The
story told by him not only maintains the
theory that James B. Gentry fired the
fatal shots in a jealous rage, but involves
himself as the involuntary cause of the
deed. Ever since Gentry and the girl
parted in New York five weeks ago, after
bitter quarrel, Madge said Gentry sent
her kilograms daily. She paid no atten-
ton to them, however. Her neglect of
her former lover was in consequence of
the advent of a new one in the person of
Mr.. Magee himself. Gentry's pleadings
eventually became wearsome to the girl
and she resolved to dismiss him. For this
purpose she went to New York but not
finding him, she sent him a telegram say
ing that all was over between them, and
she had taken her fathers advice to sever
their relations. Up to a late hour last
night nothing had been heard of Gentry.
New York, Feb. 9.-The police feel
sure that Gentry is in hiding in this city.
The man Gentry is now about 30 years
old. He is sallow and stopped, and is lar
from good looking. He has scar under
his left eye. Even his speech is unpleas-
ant, as he talks with a strong nasal
twang not unusual in u native of so
southern place as Richmond, Va. 1t
appears that he has been an actor for tif-
teen years or more, never very successful,
never rising above IL third rate low come
dian or love comedy part lie was an
agreeable companion and was well liked
by his brother actors except when his
moody disgust with his failure AS an actor
led him to drink and despond. 1t was
about three years ago that he met the
young woman whom he murdered Sun
day night.
She was Scotch by birth, her father hav
ing been in the employ of a big linen
house in his native country until fifteen
years ago, when he came to New York to
travel for firm of linen importers. There
were four children in this family-two
boys and two girls-one of the four,
Madge Yorke, was the cleverest and the
most attractive. She grew up into fine
looking woman, with sweet soprano
voice and Il figure and manner that
seemed to fit her particularly for the
opera stage. sShe used to, sing for them at
let her take lessons of Fursch Madi But
when she told him at Is, that she wanted
to go on the stage, he was much dis
turbed. He was enough of a man OF the
WpTlu lO KNOW lhtIt we're lHtllN tiullStlo .
and temptations on the comic opera
stage and he feared for his daughter on
account of her youth and attractiveness.
But at last, in 1890, when she was 10
years old, he gave his consent and him
self helped her to get a place in the
| chorus of the Casino
| Latter am: James B. Gentry, the
murderer of Madge Yorke, has just been
| found unconscious on a doorstep at Thir-
ty-third street and Columbia avenue. He
was taken to a hospital, where he re-
| gained consciousness, admitted his iden-
! tity and said he had stabbed himself with
| suicidal intent.
An examination revealed two Incl sed
wounds penetrating the lungs. Gentry
said he had attempted to commit suicide
| by stabbing himself with a penknife, but
| the knife broke or he would have persisted
in his attempt. He said he had nothing
to eat for two days except snow, because
he was afraid of being arrested. He had
wandered about the streets since Sunday
night and had fallen in the corner where
he was found from exhaustion. Gentry is
also suffering from a compound fracture
of the skull and is severely bruised and
| injured. The injuries, he says, he re
| ceived in jumping from the fire escape OF
the hotel after shooting Miss Yorke.