The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-07

J. @. Koehler Chooses
Death When Left By
Woman.
Leaves Note Demand
ing That She Be
Punished.

II AAlt llldl ulduG MIN GSLIlnCQ OF MS
name brought John G. Koehler to death
by his own hand in a room he and a
woman for whom he had an unholy love
had occupied three weeks.
The story of this tragedy brings In
every possible element OF human
tragedy. Ii tells OF a wife and little
children deserted by the husband and
father, of an aged mother left III and
nearly dying by her widowed daughter,
Of a life OF sin and quarreluS between
the erring husband. of The desertion Of
the man by the woman. and Of the sui
eide Of the man with a plaintive cry
IN his heart for vengeance on the
woman.
Wanted Bessie Phelps Punished.
After addressing 20 the unknown per-
sons who might ind his dead body a
piuful plea that they punish Bessie
Phelps. wEO deserted him after ne lad
deserted his wife and two children for
her. Koehler. an expert furniture fin
Usher In the establishment of W. p.
Moses & Sons. turned On the gas and
asphyxlateG himself in a room at u3I
Tenth street northwest late yesterday
afternoon.
Going under the name of Henry
Phelps. Koehler rented two rooms on
the top floor Of the Tenth street house
three weeks ago with woman, who
passed as his wife and gave her name
as Mrs Bessie Phelps. This. was her
T Esal name ,1y, sunday sunday morning Mrs,
Aurora, Ill, with the remains Of her
mother, who had just died
The couple Quarreled before Mrs.
Phelps departed
Body Lying on Bed.
When the proprietor Of the house
broke open the room Koehler had oc-
cupied. he found the mans dead body
lying across the bed One gas jet
was turned on. The body was still
warm.
On the bed near the body lay the
following bitter plea from the ruined
man for vengeance on the woman with
whom he had sinned:
please give this 10 my mother, who
lives at 1884 New Jersey avenue. and
tell her the cause Of this act is a woman
by the name Of Phelps. she has ruined
me. That is why went by the name of
Phelps here. She is now in Aurora. H.,
where her people 1--we. and has all Of
my money and they have plenty out
there.
''HavSsomething done with her. Don't
forget the name. Bessie Phelps she is
the cause Of this / am not the first
one. Her husband killed himself. She
has a sister living at Al Main street,
Jacksonville, Fla, named Harris.
Talked of His Misery.
Saturday night Koehler talked de-
spondentIy with some of the people in
the house, saying he had had bad luck
all his life and was tired Of Il. He
wept bitterly and declared that moth
ing he ever attempted ended in anything
but misery for him.
The last seen OF him was Sunday
morning, when he brought to the house
a baggage wagon TO take the trunks
10 the railroad station All day Mon
day no one in the house caught sight Of
him, and it was thought he had gone
with the Phelps woman 10 Illinois. Late
yesterday, however, the odor OF escap-
ing gas was detected. and the door or
his room was broken In. He was found
dead.
At the shops Of W. p. Moses & Sons,
where Koehler was employed at a sal
airy Of SIS q week. one of his acquaint-
ances said this afternoon:
"KOeller told me about that woman,
and / advised him TO keep away from
her.
But he wouldn't take my advice.
Last week he was hourishing 500
around here, and created the impress
sion the Phelps woman had given il to
him. I understand, however. that the
past several years. and that the Phelps
woman got 1t all"
Coroner hewitt gave a certificate Of
suicide.