Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-10
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE
CHARLES THoM CHARGED WITH
NUMBERING HIS WIFE.
Evidence SubmittSd-Witnesse Tes-
tify to Admissions Made by De-
PENDANT After His Arrest.

When the trial Of Charles Thorn, under
indictment for the murder of his wife. Ida
Thorn, by shooting her while In the house
where they resided, 32l Missouri avenue,
May last. was resumed this morning be-
fore Justice Anderson and jury in Grim
inal Court No. the introduction OF tes-
tiinony on behalf Of the prosecution was
begun.
Henry c. Moehring testified that about a
year before the tragedy his wife rented
Mrs. Thorn room at 321 Missouri avenue.
The latter said her name was Mrs. Bowers
represented that she was a married woman
and claimed that her husband was whisky
drummer. Mr.. Bowers visited her about
once a week. Thorn often called to see her.
Finally the witness learned that the woman
had married Thom. They left the house and
went elsewhere to live. After an absence
of about a month they returned to the
house. Thorn objected to his wife assoctat-
ing with other men and auarreled with her
about II.
The night Of the 4th Of May the witness
was awakened by pistol shots. He heard
the fall of a body. The witness left his
room and proceeded to the stairway On
a landing he found Mrs. Thorn She was
dying Thorn approached. and the witness
inquired:
who did this?''
The answer of the defendant was that he
had done the shooting; that he had .ried
to make a good woman Of his wife, but
could not succeed, and that he considered
her better off dead than alive.
Testimony of Policeman Newkirk.
Policeman Newkirk arrived at the house.
The officer asked for the pistol and it was
surrendered to him by Thorn. The defend
ant was taken away by the policeman, and
little later the injured woman was re-
moved in ambulance.
For long period before the date Of the
shooting. according to the witness, Thorn
seemed very gloomy at times. and at other
times he would be cheerful.
Joseph Hayes of 30 Missouri avenue was
also called as witness by the government.
Last May he lived with his wife at 32l Mis-
souri, avenue. About . o'clock the evening
Of the shooting the witness was with Mr..
and Mrs. Thorn, and they seemed to be on
good terms.
He heard no more of them until the
shooting occurred. noise as of scuf1e
sounded. then there was scream, and
Mrs Thorn called Murder The witness
looked down the stairway, heard the shots
and saw the flash Of revolver. Five shots
were fired. Thorn broke gasoline stove
that was in the hallway. The witness heard
the defendant excaim that he would
show them thing or two or "teach them
a thing or two" Mrs. Thorn was groaning
and bleeding.
Husband and Wife Dispute.
Mrs. Eleanor Warner, the next witness.
testified that she knew Mr.. and Mrs. Thorn
intimately. The defendant was very ;eal-
Gus, and he and his wife had disputes very
often, go stated Mrs. Warner. She had
noticed many times that Mrs. Thorn was
under the influence of liquor, but she never
saw Thorn drunk. The night OF the shoot
ing, as a caller named Hicks was about TO
leave the house, Mrs. Thorn called him
back and whispered to Hicks, asking him to
come to see her the following Monday night
las Charley would not be home AS soon
as Hicks left Thorn struck the table with
his fist and exclaimed with oath:
Il am going to stop your whispering In
mems ears
He picked up a chair and struck 1t against
the wall. He was in rage. The witness
left the room. Later che heard the cry Of
murder" and the shots.
After a long legal argument regarding
the admission of certain testimony, and
recess, Deputy Coroner Glazebrook who
performed the autopsy on the body Of the
deceased; Policeman Newkirk, who arrested
the defendant, and Police Sergeant Gross.
who heard the statements made by Thorn
as he was taken in custody, testified In the
order named