Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-15
Charles Gummell Attacks His Wife
and Attempts Suicide.
DOUBLE CRIME CAUSED BY JEALOUSY
Both Victims Taken to Emergency
Hospital for Treatment.
THEIR RECOVERY PROBABLE

attempted to kill his wife and then to COM
init suicide. A c.eaver and a razor were
the instruments used, and these blood
stained weapons were found where the man
had dropped them. 1t was evident from the
condition of the husband and wife that the
services of a surgeon were necessary, and
DR.. Holden was summoned without delay.
He found them seriously injured that
their removal to The Emergency Hospital
was deemed to be necessary, and this was
promptly done. the fourth precinct patrol
wagon and Emergency Hospital ambu-
lance being used for the purpose.
The horrible double crime was the result
of Jealousy, it is said, and mingled with
the jealousy was a quantity of bad liquor.
Charles Gummell is about fifty years old,
and formerly lived in Baltimore. His wife's
maiden name was GordShelI, her father,
now dead, having been a physician. Since
the death of her father Mrs. Gummell and
her sister have conducted the business, left
them Icy him as a heritage, of manufactur
ing Gordshelrs All-Healing Salve, and this
required Mrs. Gummell to make frequent
visits to Baltimore. These visits are under
stood to have been exceedingly diStaSteful
to her husband who seemed only too anX
ious for an excuse to charge his wife with
infidelity.
Open n Store.
When the Gummells left Baltimore city
they lived in the country, and later moved
to near Camp Springs, in Prince Georges
county, near Oxon Hill. Then they moved
here, and opened the store at the corner
of 7th and X streets. Four children had
been born to them, but behind the outward
show of happiness there was storm which
had resulted in almost wreckinS the Eo-
mans life, so that the only happiness she
enjoyed was when she was away from her
husband
I
their store had more room than was nee
essary for the family, and boarder. in
the person of Charles Corbin, Waterman.
vas received. CorbinS appearance in the
house, although sanctioned by the hus-
band, soon caused the green-eyed monster
to grow to such proportions that Gummell
almost lost his reasoning powers. His out
bursts of jealousy became more frequent,
ard 1t is stated his drinks also became
more numerous or of larger proportions.
About a month ago Mrs. Gummell met
Waterman Corbin, her boarder, near Penn
sylvania avenue and 9TH street, and at her
suggestion he rode up Pennsylvania ave
nue. with her and pointed out to her the
G fferent government buildings and places
Of interest, for. although she had then
been living here. several months, she mad
never had an opportunity tC go Sightseeing
This meeting, Mrs. GUmnell afterward
tole. the police, was purely accidental, but
it caused trouble for her. and she sought
the advice of Sergeant Daley. She called
at the fourth precinct station and related
her story of mental suffering, and told the
sergeant she was constantly in fear Of
teing killed.
Considered the Children.
What to do she did not know. There.
were four children. and she realized that
she must do the best for their sakas. If
there had been no children she could easily
have decided what was best. Sergt. Daley
advised her to swear out a warrant for her
husband, but she said she would give him
another trial, and returned home without
taking any action.
For a short time thereafter the wife's
life was not so miserable, but she could
scarcely call it L breathing spell. The
husband soon became worse than ever and
yesterday Mrs. Gummeu went to the Police
Court and swore out q warrant charging
that she was in constant fear that her life
would he taken.
Absence ArOHaes Suspicion.
Her absence from home aroused her hus-
bands suspicious. and when she returned
he wanted an explanation. The wife did
her best to evade his questions, and hoped
that after supper her husband would for
get the incident and she would have some
peace. His memory was not so short as
tl.at, however. for when the store had been
closed for the night, she says, he resumed
his nagging, and she was made almost
frantic. She did not want to tell him she
had sworn out the warrant for she knew
that, because of the laws delay, the war
rant would not be served until this morn
irg.
She did not tell him, and the result was
that she was forced to take refuge In the
bath room behind the closed door. When
Gummell had queted down, as his wife
supposed, she came out of her hiding place
and went to bed in the middle room, adj
joining the room in which her husba nd
quiet had been restored in the dwelling
ard Mrs. Gummell put her head on the
pillow beside that of her oldest daughter,
Lucy, who is sixteen years old and her
baby, not more than eighteen months old
and was soon asleep.
Some time after midnight the husband
evidently bent on murder and suicide stole
quietly downstairs TO the store and got the
heavy meat cleaver, and from his room he
took his razor and placed it where he could
get it without any difficulty. Going in the
room where his wife and the two children
were sleeping, he dealt the wife a stunning
blow on the side of her face with the
cleaver.
GrOans ArOuse the Daughter.
Her groans aroused Lucy, who sat up in
bed and viewed the situation. Her mother
with the baby clutched in her arms, was
bleeding from the wounds, while her father
was standing ever the bed viewing the
work done.
What's the matter?" Lucy asked her
mother, and then her father asked the same
question, pretending he did not know what
lad happened to the wife and mother
Then Gummell asked his wife a question
showing that the green-eyed monster still
had possession of him, and insisted on her
answering.
While he was there questioning her
mother, Lucy slipped out of bed and ran
to the street in search of policeman
She did net scream, but went quietly down
the street short distance and met Police
men Herbert and Osborne. These officers
had been called to the house before, but
not for long time. and while they sup
posed there had probably been nothing but
quarrel, they went to the Gummell home
Cpon reaching the house they went up
stairs directly to the room of Mrs Gum
nell, ard found the woman in bed, uncon-
scious, and apparently nearly dead from
loss of blood, while beside her lay her
baby, which was unframed While the
daughter was out looking for the officers,
Gummell had dealt his wife another blow
on the head with the ugly weapon, and this
Lad fractured her skull and robbed her Of
her senses.
Where's the mani" one officer asked the
other.
His Throat Cut.
Then one of them went in the front room.
where Gummell had heen in tho ba byt