Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-21
SHOOTS GIRL AND SELF
GEORGE HOWELL ATTEMPTS TO
ENACT DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

Emotional insanity, it is believed, will be
the plea entered when George E. Howell,
Spanish war veteran, is called upon in a
court of justice to respond to a charge of
having attempted to take the life Of a
young woman known as Viola Jenkins.
Howell is twenty-six years Of age. and lives
at 300 Florida avenue He Is under treat
ment at the Emergency Hospital for a bull
let wound in his thigh, which was inflicted
by himself, he says, in an effort at suicide
after he had shot Miss Jenkins
Inc shooting occurred about $50 o'clock
last night in an alleged disreputable house
on D street, where the young woman was
an inmate. Howell declared 1t was his in
tention to kill the woman and himself, and
regretted that he had not succeeded. The
two were taken to the hospital together, the
woman having bullet in her arm. At
the hospital, while both were under treat
ment, Howell called to her several times:
I'm sorry didn't kill you, but I'll do 1t
the first time l get chance. If ever get
out OF this l intend to kill you"
Howell caused so much annoyance at the
hospital that the surgeons had several times
to order him to be quiet. 1t required but
arm OF the young woman, and she was sent
to her home. The wound in Howell's thigh
was of such character, however, that he
had to remain at the hospital. The reason,
he alleged, for shooting the woman was that
she had ruined him. 1t was learned by the
police, however, that he had sought the
company of the woman. and the fault, they
allege, rests with him and not with her.
The young man Is a pensioner.
Police skeptical.
1t is stated that when his money was gone
he became desperate, and, he says, he
made an effort to end his troubles. His eff
fort at suicide. however, was such a feeble
one that the police do not believe he really
intended to kill himself. He might just as
easily. they say, have made fatal shot.
Hove Howell had written a note to his mother
ASKING Tor forgiveness otherwise, the po-
lice say, they would have thought the
shooting had resulted from q sudden i'm
pulse. The note was dated Wednesday, and
TINS; to the minds Of the police, was con-
upon before Howell called upon the woman
last night. The note, which was taken
from his pocket at the hospital, reads:
Dear Mother: Please forgive me for this
Your loving boy, GEORGE"
infatuated With Woman.
1t is stated that Howell had called upon
the jenkins woman number Of times and
had become infatuated with her. When he
went to the house last night, it is alleged
she had other company and he became
jealous. he nnally inquired If she was
going to do the right thing by him, but, she
states, he drew his revolver before she
could answer him and threatened to shoot
her. She grabbed him and a struggle fol-
lowed, the woman succeeding in pushing
him away from her. At distance of sew
eral feet from her he drew the weapon and
fired, inf1icting the wound, as stated She
managed to reach lower floor before
Howell could fire a second time. Thinking
the woman had been fatally Shot Howell
turned the weapon upon himself and fired
the bullet entering his thigh.
Lieut.. Hartley, Precinct Detective Mullen
and several policemen from the first pre-
c1nct responded to call for assistance and
found the wounded couple at the house. The
ambulance was summoned and both were
hurried to the hospital A policeman is de-
tailed at the hospital to see that the patient
does not escape.