Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-29
John W. Gaines Stabs Mrs, Welch,
His Landlady.
THEN MAKES EFFORT 10 KILL HIMSELF
His Proposal of Marriage Had Been
Rejected.
WOMAN'S SERIOUS SCONDIT1ON

about 3 o'clock this morning. Mrs. Eliza
beth Welch, thirty-1ive years old, the
mother of seven children, was stabbed and
beaten by John w. Gaines, thirty years
old, who boarded in the house. After In
fiicting. as he supposed. fatal injuries to
the woman. he stabbed himself in the
throat and placed himself upon his bed to
die
Policeman Newton, who reached the
house fully ten minutes after the af-
fair happened. pulled the knife from the
wour in the mans throat. Both victims
were afterward taken to the Emergency
Hospital in the police ambulance together.
The woman, the doctors discovered, was
seriously injured, although she may re-
cover. Gaines self-infiicted injury seemed
to be but slight. The stab wound in his
throat was the only one he received.
Mrs. Welch had received a dangerous
stab wound in the left side, a carving knife
having been used. which penetrated the
lung. Her right hand had been cut in sew
eral places, and she also had ugly bruise
over her eyes. This bruise, the doctors
think, was received when the woman fell
after the stabblng.
Gaines is in the hospital, being closely
guarded by policeman. Having been in
formed that the woman was not dead,
Gaines says he does not want to die as he
still has hopes. William p Welch the
woman's husband has been separated from
her for several years, and he lives near
9th and Washington streets. He is en-
ployed as wood worker in Crupper's mill,
corner of 18th street and Ohio avenue
northwest. Although they live apart the
husband visits his wife and children occa-
slonally, and, it is stated, contributes to
their support.
The Husband Informed.
AS soon as the police had removed the
woman to the hospital they had the sixth
precinct police notify Mr.. WEIGH at 72O 9TH
street, of the affair.
Your wife has been stabbed the DO
lceman told him.
Il guess you're mistaken said Welch.
MY wife Is upstairs in bed
Lieut.. Moore remembered that a woman
claiming TO be Welchs wife had called a,
the oth street house last summer and
caused trouble. and he sent another officer
to the house. Later Welch went to
the NJ street house, but reached there
after the injured woman had been taken
away. When Star reporter called at his
pace OF employment and saw him, Welch
saIo ne knew Of the affair and also declared
that the wounded woman was his wife
II ii go over to the hospital and see her
later in the day he said, after making an
ANXIOUS inquiry about her condition
m his wife, declared Mrs. Welch at
~ 3th street, when a Star reporter called
We've been married six years and have
two children W.
hospital had called at her house and an
noyed her, but she had been unable to pat
al the exact facts of the case
The home Of the We,ch family on NJ
street, where the murderous assault was
committed this morning, Is a tWo-stOry
frame structure, situated quite a distance
back from the street and having a rear en-
trance into Fussell's court The family con-
slsis sH OF the mother and seven children, as
follows: Mamie, eighteen years old; Ella.
hfteen years; Mabel fourteen; Thomas
twelve; John, eleven; Ethel, six and Beu.
Ian, four. Gaines who Is foreman. en-
ployeo at the Champlain avenue shaft of
the Lydecker tunnel has boarded there for
about year, his board being, 1t is said. of
considerable assistance to the family. Sat
urday night Mrs. Wech and Mamie went to
the Academy OF Music with Gaines, and
upon reaching the theater, it is stated.
Welch met them. He and Mrs Welch took
seats together, while Gaines and the daugh-
ter went to another part of the theater.
oalhes became III during the performance,
and Mrs Welch went home with him.
Welch, speaking of his wife and her
boafder today, said she was a good woman,
but that she had been greatly annoyed by
her boarder The latter, he said, was
boarded at the house merely for the pur-
pose of assisting his wife with her large
family of children.
Rejects Offer of Marriage
Gaines has been working from o'clock
IN the afternoon until midnight. He stop
ped work last night at IL o'clock, and It
was getting along toward 1 o'clock when
he reached home. Mrs Welch and two
OF her daughters were setting up talking.
The mother prepared something to eat for
MN, and while he was eating the girls
tired. Mrs. Welch and Gaines conversed
for some time. 1t is stated, about getting
married, and after Gaines retired she went
to his room to give him final answer,
which was that she could not marry him,
nc chn al n1Nrh ho1
came infuriated and assaulted the woman
From his room she managed to get up
three steps to the dining room, where he
grabbed the carving knife and proceeded
with his murderous work. While he was
choking the woman and using the knife
Mrs. Welch managed to scream help
in a tone loud enough to summon her
daughters, Ella and Mabel. When the
mothers clothing had been torn from her
and the infuriated man was doing his ut
most to end her life with the knife. Each
time he cut at her she grabbed the knife,
and in this way she received number of
cuts In her hand. The children took her
part by breaking cups over Gaines head
and throwing water on him. This treat
ment did not have the desired effect, and
they grabbed the man and held him while
their mother went out the door and reach
ed Fussers court When the children had
satisfied themselves that their mother was
out of harms way they released Gaines,
who went to his room and stabbed himself.
While this was going on Mamie, the eldest
daughter, took the four younger children
to a room on the top floor and barred the
door. She remained there with them until
the arrival of the police.
Woman Appeals for Help.
Mrs. Welch went to the house Of Richard
Thompson colored, in Fussell's court. AS
soon as the front door was opened she
staggered into the house. Her head and
scant articles Of wearing apparel were COW