The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-30
WHO FIRED SHOTS
Mystery in the Death Of Mrs.
Amanda NJ. Copley.
She and Her Babe Found Dead
In Bed.
VICTIMS OF PISTOL.
Husband of Woman Is Held on
Murder Charge.
He Declares That His Wife Did
the Shooting.
ICTIMS OF PISTOL.

Washington, Jan. 30.-Washington
police are today trying to solve the
mystery as to whether Mrs. Amanda
NJ. Copley and her three-months-old
baby Ruth. who were found dead IN
bed shortly after midnight, were muir
dered or whether Mrs Copley shot the
infant and then committed suicide.
The latter theory is the explanation
given by the husband. William G..
Copley a clerk in the census office.
who is held at a police station pending
an investigation.
Lieutenant Falvey, after examining
the wound which caused Mrs. Copley's
death. said that it would have been
next to impossible for the woman tc
nave inflicted the injury herself.
Shortly after midnight Copley called
in DIR. John s. Dorsey, telling him
suicide. When the physician arrived
Mrs. Copley and the baby were dead.
He Immediately notified the police and
the husband and father was placed
under arrest. He was subjected to a
severe examination at the police sta
ton. but insisted that his wife had
killed herself.
The prisoner declared he did not
know the baby had been shot until
DIR. Dorsey pulled down the covers of
the bed in which the two were lying.
Copley admitted that he and his wife
had quarreled in the early part of the
the two children. Raymond. three
years old. and Ruth, the baby. and
gone to a room and that he went to
his room on the second floor to retire
for the night. Shortly before mid
night he said he heard two shots in
the bedroom occupied by his wife and
that he Immediately rushed into the
room and found that his wife had shot
herself and without making a further
examination he hurried to the resi-
dence of DIR. Dorsey.
Mr.. and Mrs. Copley were married
in Iowa. and until they came to Wash
ington in 1902, resided at Walnut.
Pottawatomie county, near Council
Bluffs. Copley is 35 years old. He
was member of the Twenty-fourth
regiment and served some time in the
years old. Her maiden name was
Amanda NJ Bunker. Both have rela-
tives in Iowa. and Illinois.
Persons living in the vicinity of the
Copley home said that 1t was not
known that there had been any quar-
rel between Mr.. and Mrs. Copley and
that they had always appeared to be
happy Both were given excellent
regulations by their nefghbors
Coroner hewitt was notified by the
police and will hold an inquest today.
Copley was disinclined to make
statement of the affair this morning.
When asked for an expression he said:
"I have nothing to say
This he repeated several times. In
his manner he was calm: there being
no trace of excitement either in his
speech or action.
RAYMOND. the 3-year-oId son, is be-
ing cared for by friends of the family.
He was sleeping in crib in his
Stood Well at Old Home.
Omaha; Jan 3O.-A special to the Bee
from Walnuta says:
THE report of the death of Mrs
Amanda Copley and her infant child
with the arrest of her husband created
profound surprise in this town where
the parties have resided since infancy
and where they stood high I'm public es-
timation. No more highly respected
people reside here than Copleys and
Bunkers. Will Copley in particular was
popular He came here from Illinois
with his parents when but 2 years Of
age and resided here until he enlisted
in the Fifty-f1rst Iowa at the outbreak
of the Spanish-American war. He
served in the Philippines and on his re-
turn home with an honorable dis
carpenter. Soon after he married
Amanda Bunker only child of William
Bunker, who was reared on farm
near Walnuta. Later he took a civil
service examination and about two
years ago went to Washington where
he entered the census bureau. After
their marriage Mr.. and Mrs. Copley
lived here about year and their mar
ried life was so harmonious that ad-
mission that they had quarreled came
as a severe shock to friends and rela-
tives Mrs. Copley's mother died re-
Gently and her father is now in Sioux
City The father of Mr.. Copley has
with him and while the
elder Copley hopes there is some mis-
take of Identification, he is making ar
to leave for Washington
with Mr. Bunker as soon as the latter
returns home"