The Washington times., 1905-10-08
MRS. MAY MOURNS
WHILE CONEN DIES
Only Street Separates Wom-
ans Home From Hospital.
SITUATION is IMPRESSIVE
She Silently Grieves on One Side.
Victims Mother Watches for
End on Other.

Lueien H. Conen, who WAS shot down
on the street In Southeast Washington
by Mrs. Jennie l. May. because. she al
legged. he had slandered her and had
compelled her 10 lead double life. de-
ceiving her husband, is still in a critical
condition at the Naval Hospital.
Today Information from that institu-
tion Is to the effect that Conen Is alive
and no worse.
II the man should die Mrs May win
be rearrested and locked up in Jail on
a charge Of murder. AT present she Is
, out on bail under charge of assault
with intent TO kill.
The surgeons who operated upon
Conen say the thread By which his life
is hanging may be severed at any mo-
ment. When the surgeons under DIR.
Stokes operated Thursday. they found
that the spinal column had been shat
tered in more than a score OF pieces
about six inches below the neck As
soon as they learned this they knew
there was no hope for him. Persons
ST ffering from such an injury live only
short time. and unless they are far
above the average In health. death
comes within week or ten days.
Conen's injury was received a week ago
last Wednesday He has an extraordi-
nary constitution and is fighting hard
Lives Opposite Hospital.
One of the most dramatic features in
connection with the tragedy is that Mrs.
Mays home, 917 E street southeast, is
directly across the street from the main
entrance to the hospital where Conen
lies near the point Of death. Daily she
can see from her window Conen's rela-
tives going into the hospital and coming
out.
| AS the days pass, Mrs. May becomes
more nervous. The strain upon her is
| tremendous Her husband, believing
her story, that Conen took advantage of
her and held her in a slavery by threats,
| is by her side continually trying 10 COM
| fort and calm her. Her neighbors. who
| love and respect her, are frequent vis-
| itors at the house.
Woman Is Grieving.
| Nevertheless, although she feels that
Conen did her a wrong which nothing
| could surpass. she has "a grievous time.
/ About her her children move in unac-
customed silence, feeling the shadow of
the great tragedy within the house. Her
oldest daughter, fourteen years of age
is deep comfort to the woman.
An interesting view of this case
which is one of the most pathetic
Washington has ever known. is that
the defense, which was outlined in The
Times a few days ago. corresponds il
some ways TO that which liberated Mrs
Bonine, who was accused Of numbering
young Ayres in the old Kenmore Hotel
In the Bonine case the defense wa:
that she was protecting her honor. that
|, Ayres attacked her. and that, in th'
ensuing struggle, the pistol which h.
held was discharged three times, shoot
, ing him fatally.
In Defense of Honor.
In the May case the foundation o
the defense will be that Mrs. May Wa
| defending her honor, that this maj
had by lures and tricks supplanted he
husband temporarily and had takel
advantage Of this to wrong her furthe
by threatening that he would expos
her to the world if she would not q
his bidding.
Another coincidence in the matter
that the firm of Douglass & Douglas
defended Mrs. Bonine, and that GLIB
{ l. Baker, now the junior partner O
Douglass & Douglass. viii, with Cree
NJ Fulton. conduct Mrs. Mays defens,
Mrs. Bonine was acquitted, and tn
friends OF Mrs. May are freely sayin
that she. too. viii be allowed her lit
erty as soon as the facts OF the cas-
have been presented TO the jury.
Husband Is Loyal.
Mrs. Mays husband, Ole ). May,
member OF the United States Marin
Band. as was Conen, is sticking by n
wife with true nobility. He says he II
r tends TO see that she gets a. suua,
CONTINUED on Second Page.)