Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-07
SUICIDE OF JOHN 6. KOEHLER
ACCOMPLISHED By INHALATION
OF ILLUMINATING GAS.
Police State He Had Been Leading q
Double Life-Leaves Sew
eral Messages.

Investigations which followed the suicide
OF John G. koehler. a wood finisher, al
ll31 10th street northwest, yesterday de-
veloped the fact according to the police.
that Koehler was leading a double life. AT
the home of his mother, 1884 New Jersey
avenue northwest, he had wife and three
children, whom he left some weeks ago.
At the 10th street lodging house he was
known as Henry Phelps, where he had been
living with woman whom he introduced
| as his wife. 1t was a quarrel with the lat
| ter woman, 1t is believed, that led Koehler
to take his life.
koehler was last seen alive Sunday after
noon. During that day. it is declared, he
drank heavily. and he went to his room
Sunday evening very much depressed in
spirits. He did not appear yesterday and
1t was thought he might have gone out
early In the morning unobserved by the
other inmates of the house Yesterday
evening, however, a strong odor of gas
was detected in the hallway near the door
leading to koehlers ROOM and d. F. Brown
determined to break open the door
koehler was found stretched at full length
on the bed and was dead from the effects
of the gas escaping from the open jets.
DR.. Charles West was hurriedly summoned
to the scene. and when he arrived and
made an examination of the body he was
convinced that Koehler had been dead for
several hours. Later Coroner hewitt was
summoned and gave a certificate of death
from suicide. The body was removed to
the late home of the deceased, 1882 New
Jersey avenue northwest, to be prepared
for burial.
Room in Disorder.
The room in which Koehler killed himself
was found in a disordered State Several
empty liquor bottles were found about
the room, indicating that the man had been
drinking heavily There
that koehler had made a fruitless search
for revolver, and cartridges were found
scattered about on the floor. But no re-
volver was found
On table in the room were found sever
al notes, written as to give the impress
sion that the writer was much agitated
One note, written on a store check, was
es follows:
Please give to my mother. She lives at
1884 New Jersey avenue. And tell her
the cause of this is land WHY lady by the
name of Phelps. her ruin me. she in Auro-
ra, ILL.,, now her people live in. don't for
get to do something with her. she has all
have other money. don't forget her name
is Bessie Phelps. she is now in Aurora
Ill her husband killed himself. She has
sister in Jacksonville, Fla. at 421 Main
street, fiat 3. her name is Harrison"
The note gave clue to the cause of the
rash deed Koehler went to the 10th street
lodging house where he afterward took his
NE three weeks ago ana introduced
himself and the woman with him as Mr.
and Mrs. Phelps. For some time they
apparently lived happily, but last Wednes-
day the mother Of the Phelps woman, Mrs.
Mary McNair of Brightwood, died. Bessie
Phelps wanted to take the body of her
mother to their old home in Aurora, ILL.,,
and determined to carry out her desire.
Koehler objected. and a quarrel ensued.
After that koehler was much depressed,
and, 1t is stated, imbibed quantity of
liquor. Sunday morning Mrs. Phelps went
to the room she had occupied in the 10th
street house, and, packing her belongings
quickly. she took her departure, saying that
she was going to Aurora.
Became Depressed.
Koehler was absent at the time, and
when he returned and found that the
Phelps woman had gone with her baggage,
he became more depressed, and was in that
condition when last seer, as stated before.
Koehler was member of Pentalpha
Lodge of Masons, and the finding of
Masonic card and several receipts in the
name of John G. Koehler led to the identi-
fication of the dead man. When the lodge
members learned of the matter they ex-
pressed the greatest surprise that he should
have been leading a double life and that he
should end his existence by his own hand.
He was we'll thought Of by fellow workmen
and by his brother Masons.
Mrs. Koehler and her children are being
cared for by brother Of the dead man.
When gifted of the tragic end Of her hus-
band Mrs. koehler was greatly agitated
and required the services of physician.