The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-10-28
Louis c, Hampton Shoots VicIO-
ria c, TaczkoW and Himself
HAMPTON LEAVES A FAMILY
Was Thought to Have Been infatuated
With the Woman, and 1t Is Be-
ieved That They Agreed
to Die Together.

New York, October 27.-Louis G. Hamp-
ton assistant secretary of the United
States Trust company of this city, shot
and killed Victoria l. Taczkow, a beau
tiful young woman, in the Hotel Griffon,
in West Ninth street, late last night and
then committed suicide. Hampton was in
fatuated with the woman and they had
been seen together many times during
the past month. They had been at the
hotel where the tragedy occurred since
early yesterday.
Whether or not the tragedy was the re-
suit of a pact between the man and wom-
an 10 die together has not been deter
mined but the circumstances seem TO
show that the young woman had agreed
to die with her companion. Hampton, VINO
was about 60 years old, leaves wife and
two children. Miss TaczlIow was % years
old and lived with her father and In
valid mother She was employed in
Fifth avenue department store
The United States Trust company, OF
which L. G. Hampton was assistant sec
retary, is one of the largest and strong
est trust companies in New York EX-
dent until recently, and on his retire.
ment Edward W. Sheldon was elected
president and Mr.. Hampton for some
tice acted as secretary. The events lead
ing up to the tragedy have been traced
by the police, and according to them the
last chapter in what looks like an Illicit
romance, opened on Thursday afternoon
last when Hampton called at the Hotel
Griffon and engaged a room He said he
would return late that night or the next
morning.
Il expect to have my wife with me-
he said, as he was about to leave, and
then half hesitatjng he said, Would you
like me to register nowg''
The maid replied that it would be time
enough to DO this when he arrived at
the lpseA 4e'-tssAsgsl sasnl, ss.
Rettitns to Hotel.
Hampton then left and nothing more
was seen of him until Friday morning,
when about o'clock he entered the hotel
accompanied by woman, and going
straight up TO the hotel office he regis
tered as MIR. and Mrs. Sinclair, Burllng-
ton VT"
The woman who accompanied him was
an unusually handsome brunette. She
was fashionably dressed and carried in
her hand a small travelling bag.
The couple took breakfast and then
went to their room. The woman left the
Hampton remained in mis- room. Soon
after she returned from one of these ex-
eursions early in the evening light din
ner was sent TO their room, and request
was sent to the clerk to cali them at IL
o'clock last night.
I'VE want to be called at II so that we
can catch a train, said Hampton.
From that time until 1880 nothing was
heard or seen of the couple, but at that
hour a maid was in the corridor outside
the room which they occupied, when she
heard what she thought was an explosion
in the street. She took no particular
notice of it at the time.
At five minutes to II she went to the
room to call the couple, but when her
repeated raps at the door brought no
response, she notified the hotel office The
room was opened with pass key, and
the mystery was explained.
Tragedy Is Discussed.
On the floor, at the far end of the room,
between a large mirror and a dresser,
lay the man stretched out ON his back.
In his right hand was clutched a revolver,
while his hat was held tightly in the
left hand A shot fired into his mouth
had entered his brain, killing him in
stantly. Directly in front the bed,
and on ii was the woman also dead. Her
feet were on the floor, while her head was
resting on the bed clothes, with her left
arm shielding her face.
In her arm were three bullet wounds,
none of which appeared much more than
flesh wounds, but right under the left
arm pit was a fourth wound The bullet
had been fired evidently after the woman
had sunk back onto the bed, when she
had been shot in the arm, for 1t entered
her body in a downward direction and
must have gone through her heart
Word of the tragedy was sent to the
coroner's office and as a result of that
officials investigation the iuentity of the
victims was established. In addition to a
valuable watch and other jewelry found
in Hamptons pockets, there were papers
which directed inquiry to the apartment
house in West Twenty-third st.eet where
he had lived with his wife.
At the United States Trust company it
was said today that Hampton was at the
offices of the company on Thursday at
tending to his duties. On Friday he tele-
phoned that he was indisposed. but would
be at the office today An officer of the
company said that Mr. Hamptons duties
were secretarlal only, and that he had
nothing to do with the companys finances.
1t is believed the officer said that his
books were correctly kept.
Was Protege of Stewart.
MIR. Hampton had been employed by the
trust company for thirty-five years, and
was protege of former President John
A. Stewart, now chairman OF the board
of directors. He was regarded at the
office of the company as an able and
efficient man, and of good habits.
The first positive indentiication of the
victims of the tragedy was made by the
dead womans brother. He had been noti-
fled that a young woman wearing jew
ery bearing his sisters initials had been
murdered and went to a police station
to look at the articles. which had been
taken there He at once recognized a
pair of silk garters with gold buckles, as
the property of his sister. One of the
buckles bore the letters ~ /. t. while
on the other was inscribed IL. G. H.
Young Taczkow also told the police that
the man undoubtedly was Louis G. Hamp-
ton, >,sho had been very attentive to his
sisy,r for some time Hampton told us
Il Al he intended to marry my sister ylhen
his mother died.. said Taczkow II never
knew much about him. but he seemed
to \be honorable in his intentions and
appAAred to be very fond of my sister.
victA,a was a good girl and never stayed
out ali the night. We thought we knew
where she was every minute of the time. .
Louis G. Hampton had summer home