The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-26
4 MIDNIGHT TRAGEDY
Woman Leaps for Life From
a Window.
Her kssailant Captured on the Stairs by a
Policeman Blows Out His Own
Brains.
(By the Associated Press

Philadelphia, Pa, May PA sensa-
tional attempt at murder and suicide took
place at a hotel here tonight when John
A. Jenkins, of Brooklyn, N. Y, attempted
to kill a young woman named Mae BfA-
Der, of this city, and then blew his brains
out while in the grasp of policeman.
The couple registered at the hotel this
evening as man and wife. Two letters
were found in the room, one written by
the young woman and the other by Jen-
kins. The young woman says she was
forced to write her letter at the point
of pistol. 1t was addressed to her
landlady on North 18th street and read
as follows:
Kindly look after my body and pay
the insurance They have failed to call
for it. The money is in the bureau drawer.
You may keep some of my things and give
the remainder to Hannah A. Neber, 1900
South Second street. Give me a good
burial. God bless you. Jack and l die
in love and in the triumph of loves death.
Lovingly, Mae, PIG North 18th street.
Miss Barber made a statement saying
Jenkins threatened to either shoot her or
throw her out of the window. He said
he could not live without me and that
| would be dead before IL o'clock. I
pleaded with him to spare my life, but he
was obduratc. Placing the pistol at my
head he forced me to write at his dicta-
tion the letter to my landlady. Then l
thought l might save my life by resort
ing to strategy. / asked him for one
drink before / died and he ordered beer.
When the waiter appeared with the bottle
| sprang to the window and attempted to
jump out into the street. My dress caught
and held me and then I knew no more"
jenkins was about 80 years of age and
Miss Barber 90 She was handsome and
dressed well. She is said to be a waitress
in the restaurant of a large department
store in this city.
The address given is where the girl
boarded The letter left by jenkins, who
is said to live at 236 Prospect Place,
Brooklyn, was prefaced by a verse of
poetry. This was followed by the words
Kindly notify my brother n-law, John l..
Murphy, OF this happy event, No. 265
Prospect Place, Brooklyn. N. Y. This is
the ultimate result Of gambling and a
dissipated life and is a warning to young
men.
JOHN A. JENKINS"
This was followed by more poetry and
then came the following:
God help my mother This creature
has ruined my life and am putting her
out Of the business to save other men. I"
1t was just about midnight when
screams were heard coming from the
fourth floor of the hotel. A woman was
seen to be hanging by her dress out of
the window. A policeman ran up the
stairs and met a man rushing down. He
grasped him and was returning with him
up the stairs when the man suddenly drew
a revolver from his hip pocket and blew
out his brains. Leaving the PROSTATE
man on the stairs, the officer and several
hotel servants went to the room from the
window of which the woman was hanging
and drew her in. AS soon as she saw
she was saved she tainted. Jenkins body
was sent to the morgue and Miss Barber
was sent to the Central scolice station.