The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-12
Well Known Horse
man Then Takes His
Own Life.
Friends Believe Trag-
edy the Result of
Death Pact.

When Claude G Gardner AID Lee II.
Smith. clerks for Leonard T. Brown,
proprietor Of a harness and buggy shop
Mt H24 Fourteenth street, opened the
door Of the store. this morning, a
CHASTITY sight met their gaze. Lying on
cot in the back room in a pool of her
own blood lay young woman, after
ward identified as Margaret Straub, of
17Sl T street northwest. BY the side of
the cot in blood covering almost a
square yard, lay Leonard 7. Brown.
both cold in death.
Smith Immediately ran to the tsle-
phone and called the Eighth precinct.
Immediately thereafter calling Browns
wife at the Brown residence, 1879 Co
lumbia road. Although greatly shocked
at the terrible information impaired to
her over the phone, Mrs Brown Is said
10 nave asked for particulars and re-
marked 4 have been expecting some
thing Ike this"
At the time, however. II is said young
Smith did not acqUaint the Wife with
the TACT that before committing suicide
her husband had also shot his com
Panlon VINO spent part of the night with
him Mrs Brown did not know OF this
feature OF the case until informed by a
Times reporter later I'm the morning.
Woman Shot Three Times.
When PatroImen Holmes and Walden
arrived Il was found that Miss Straub
had three bullet wounds. one through
The mouth. one back of the left ear. one
through the left cheek. and one through
the right hand. The hand wound WIS
evidently inflicted by the same bullet
Whlch pierced the girls cheek, as Brown
only hred Tour shots, one of which he
used upon himself. He was shot through
the roof Of the mouth. the shock break
ing his neck.
Detective Parham arrived later in the
morning. as did also Coroner hewitt
investigation Immediately developed that
II was case OF murder and suicide
and the coroner instructed that the
bodies be taken to the mOrgue
Bit by bit the chain Of evidence was
welded together. and it was found that
the tragedy had been enacted in this
manner: Il appears that Brown, who Is
married. having a wife and six-year-
old daughter, has been enamoured Of
Miss Straub for year. These relations
had caused GOODNESS between hus-
band and wife for some time-the two
had virtually separated, Brown sleeping
In the back room Of his place of busi-
ness.
Had Visited There Before.
The employees OF the place. while reti-
cent. intimate that this is not the first
nocturnal visit paid Browns apartment
by the girl now dead, who was en-
ployed in the surfacinE department Of
the Bureau Of Printing and Engraving
Others said that for some time Brown
had been trying to break off the rela-
ton between himself and the young
woman, and had at times appeared de-
spOndent over the matter
At 7 o'clock last night he phoned Miss
Straub at the Alexis flats. where she
resides with her aged mother She
immediately left the fats, informing her
mother that she would return shortly
with some carbolic acid for dressing the
latter's arm. which was broken bv a
fall last week. Mrs. Straub knew MOTH
ing of the whereabouts of her daughter
until this morning.
Girls Mother Is Frustrated.
Claude Gardner, one Of the clerks in
Browns establishment went to acquaint
Mrs. Straub with the tragic death Of
her daughter. but on arriving at her
apartments, found her so enfeebled that
upon consultation with those in the
apartment house IT was decided to call
Father Dunahoo. of St PauTs Church.
10 break the terrible news. Mrs Straub
Is Frustrated by the shock, and in her
condition, grave fears are felt for ul-
Innate consequences.
Mrs. Brown. while plainly showing the
strain and grief, when arriving at IL
her late husbands effects, seemed recon-
ciled in a measure as though such an
act had been anticipated This Is ex-
planned by the fact that on January )
last. Brown staggered out of his store at
O'Clock IN the morning nearly suf-
located by escaping gas. II Is stated
by those familiar with this occurrence.
that It was evidently a case Of intended
suicide, but that he lost nerve before
becoming unconscious 1t is said that
II 70 hp mir To h,r
become unjOinted as they were when
found. Mrs. Brown evidently shares In
this belief. as do the employees of the
establishment
Mrs Brown. at the store this morn
Ing, said she knew OF the existence OF
another woman but did not know
her name Il is said Brown had ad-
mitted 70 his wife his infatuation for
Miss Straub.
When found Miss Straub was living
upon her back upon a cot fully dressed
on a work bench just over the cot lay
her furs, hat and cloak Nearby lay
Browns coat and vest He was in his
shirt sleeves. without collar or tie A
box of chocolate candy. with the CON
tents nearly all gone were found near
by. indicating that the couple had
passed part OF the evening pleasantly.
Time of Tragedy Not Known.
No one in the BLOCK. remembers having
heard any shots during the night The
time at which the tragedy was enacted
IS therefore a mystery. A tailor who
lives next door said a colored man in
formed him that he heard shots in pass
ing at O'Clock this morning, but this
could not be confirmed. The police are
OF the opinion that the killing occurred
earlier I'm the night. as It was perhaps
the girls intention 20 return 10 her
mother before bedtime. Brown was last
heard from at 7:S0 O'Clock in the even
ing when he telephoned Miss Straub.
CONTINUED on Ninth PaGe.)