The Washington times., 1902-05-06
JURY HOLDS fHON FOR
MURDER OF HIS Wife
Result of Coroner's Inquest
After Testimony Is Heard.
Statement OF THE ACCUSED
Says He Committed the Act in Moment
of Ungovernable Fury-Claimed That
She Was Unfaithful-Removed to Dis
trict Jail to Await Grand jury.

The coroner's jury, after listening to
the testimony in the case yesterday. held
Charles Thom. the watchman who killed
his wife at 321 Missouri Avenue shortly
after IL O'Clock Saturday night, to await
the action of the grand jury on a charge
OF murder.
The story OF the killing. as brought out
by the witnesses and told in the written
statement of Thorn himself. showed that
the act was committed in moment OF
ungovernable fury.
Deputy Coroner Glazebrook held an au-
topsy at the morgue yesterday. He
found that of the five bullets which struck
the dead woman, but one inflicted nee
essarily fatal wound. This bullet struck
Mrs. Thom in the breast, proceeded
downward and to the left, passed through
the soft. cartilaginous part Of the fourth
rib. penetrated the heart. the lung. the
diaphragm. and the spleen. and bounded
backward. imbedding itself in muscle and
fat. after coming in contact with and shat
tering the tenth rib On the left side.
Three OF the other bullets entered In the
front part of the body. two OF them hav-
ing been fired in such close proximity
that the powder scorched Mrs. Thom's
One of these balls penetrated
a kidney, but the wound first mentioned
was the only one necessarily fatal.
Statement Read to jury.
Thorn was represented at the inquest by
Messrs H. E. Davis and Joseph Shilling
ION, but he made no statement to the jury
He was present at the inquest. and before
being removed from the Sixth precinct po-
ice station. where it was held. to the jail. |
ne went to the morgue to look upon his |
wife for the last time. The written state |
nent which was read to the jury was |
made by the prisoner in the presence OF
Lieutenant Moore, Sergeant Goss, and Pri- /
'ate Newkirk, of the Metropolitan Police |
force.
DR.. Nevitt, assisted by Deputy Coroner
conducted the inquest.
The first witness called was James T.
the police officer who made the
rrest. He said:
"On Saturday night I was on the north
ide of Pennsylvania Avenue when young
nan came and told me that shooting had
ccurred at 321 Missouri Avenue.
"Officer Whalen and myself ran through
he alley, went to the house. and went
o the top OF the first flight OF stairs.
here We saw Mrs. Thorn lying on the
Mr.. Thorn was standing near
er. asked what was the trouble, and he
aid:
" 4 killed her, and am not sorry for it.
81 took the gun. which was still hot,
nd placed him under arrest
DR.. Stuart's Testimony.
DR.. Stuart. the resident physician Of
he Emergency Hospital. told of the sum-
IONS OF the ambulance and the finding Of
Irs. Thom on the floor in . dying con- |
ition. He removed her to the hospital I
n the ambulance, where she died some
We minutes later.
Mrs. Minnie L. Shook, OF 502 South Pat
ck Street. Alexandria, a friend Of the
cad woman. who occupied room in the
iissouri Avenue house the night the !
iooting occurred. testified next. She said:
II vas occupying room No. 10 on the
lme foor on which the shooting oc-
irred. heard the shouts and screams of
iurder!' and 'Hclp! 1t was then be-
xeen 12 and 1890 o'clock. came out of
y room, but did not see the shooting
RS. Thorn was lying on the landing. I ,
lw Mr.. Thorn with the pistol in his
and. He raised his wife's head and said:
iy God. Ida. are you dying?'"
The witness said she heard Thorn say he {
as sorry. When she asked him what he c
I'd done. he said: $
'Ill put stop to this whispering"
Recognized Mrs. Thorn. :
Henry C. Moehrlng. of S21 Missouri Ave-
ie was next called. He testified that he .
I'll, I
'cupied by the Thoms when he heard s
stol shots and screaming shortly after &
idnight. He went out and saw Mrs. ?
hom lying on the landing. He turned
n so that he could see her face and
'cognized her. Thorn appeared a mo-
ent later and Mr. Moehring asked him
no had done the shooting. Thom replied ,
Charges Against Wife.
az did it," and added that his wife was
bad character. always had been, anu
ways would have been. :,
Jonas +. C. Moehring. brother of =
enry Moehring said he heard Thorn say "a
at he had done the shooting because d
m wife was faithless to him. "
Eleanor Warner. of 321 Missouri Ave- n.
lie. testified that early in the evening y;
@ was in Charles" room. Mr.. Hicks ",
s there. Witness had heard Mrs. Thom NJ
lisper in Hicks ear to come back again M
)niay night Al
Miss Martha Tyler, who occupied the | "a
cond story front room of the house: re-
seph Hayes. who lives with his wife n
the fourth floor of the house where n,
tragedy occurred. and Henry b. ct
thery. of 323 Missouri Avenue, the next
use, were also called.
Thom's Story of Affair.
'homs statement OF the shooting and cd
,ount oil the quarrel which preceded 1t VI