The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-31
GUILT IS NOT FIXED
Mrs. COpley May Have Killed
Her Baby and Herself.
POLICE BELIEVE IT SUICIDE
Coroner Nevitt's Experiments with
Revolver Lead Him tn Believe Pts
tOI Wounds Could Not Have Been
Inflicted by AnOther-Little Son OF
Couple Is in PitiabIe Condition.

William G. Copley is still in his cell in
/ the Ninth precinct police station, await
/ ing the result of the investigation into
the death of his wife, Amanda Copley,
and their four mOnth-old baby Ruth. He
refuses to discuss the case with newspa-
/ per men. other than to maintain his limo
/ cence with the simple statement that his
/ wife shot the baby and herself. Coroner
hewitt and the detectives put on the case
! have made "a careful and detailed exam
/ nation. The coroner conducted expert
ments with the revolver used in the
/ shooting He found by using a sheet
/ that the back fash would make powder
/ burns similar to those on Mrs. Copley's
arm and night dress. Several detectives
are of the opinion that it would have
been impossible for "a third person 10 have
fred a bullet that took the course OF the
one that caused Mrs. Copley's death and
al the same time make the powder marks
or the sleeve of her night dress. For
! this reason, the coroner and the detee-
! tives appear 70 favor the suicide theory.
/ The inquest to-day at II O'Clock, how
ever, may bring out developments that
may throw new light on the case.
/ Coroner hewitt stated that the inquest
win be d thorough one. The sworn tes-
/ timony Of witnesses Is expected TO bring
/ the facts out clearly. II is expected
7 that a number OF tho coroners questions
/ ,-iu hinge t,,op f1a rasitior in which tine
,,t,r 49,. Good On .t.-. T.. .t..t
~
80 was pm" 'l I'm ''1 49, "'''''
/ oI"eI p tl'a1 IL ""s l""H" iS'"s OF tlie
hoor. From Ars- 1opley easy position,
. II is evident that she made no struggle,
as all the muscles Of her body were lax
and al "a natural resrive Dosition
/ .--s-,.,. nj, M ,.
/ Copley ne'shoofs, without exception
/ assert that they were a most congeuIal
and loving couple. and this characteristic
had often attracted attention in the
neighborHo0d II is said that he was
49,. .t.- -..4-1 t....f.,,4 "a t..
sba was an evcaiIe1, bo,-sevyif,. Tge,r,,
/ Owens vyb, lives next door ta the Con
Ievs and who was o1s of the first 10 en-
ter the house said Yesterday that a.
would not believe Coulev df5 The shooting
/ If Cspley himself told him So. lie ven
lures the opinion thar as result Of her
4 quarrel with her husband Mrs CopIey
became temporarily insane with grief
over their first serious FUSS and while
In fbIs state fis tba ebs,tipg
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mouse >t"h"S apart i'"'' o'"e's'
IL is built within about five yards from
the house on the east and is fully GfJy
wards from the Owens residence. on the
west Tn corseru.nca. none Of the neigh
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rFA OF JHe ponce III IS an important
fact that II the coroners jury holds Cop
ley for the grand jury to-day the case will
bee largely one OF Circumstantial evidence
as there were no witnesses to the shoot
ing.
Little Raymond C0plcy, the two-ycar-
old son of Mr.. and Mrs C0pley. who WAS
in the room in which his mother and
baby sister were shot Tuesday night, is
lin a critical nervous state at the home
of Mr. and Mrs owens The little boy
is in "a continuous state of terror afraid
of every one who approaches him, and
his frantic cries and piteous. passionate
appeals for his mother can De heard fifty
yards from the house. Several times yes
1fIoaS ...S 'ol,.yi' - ooit,ig SI, Oh goil W., --
60. Ca - Itt,1a - bo-I,,, W,
any one comes near him he fees in terror
land attempts to hide. like hunted ami
NAL He crawis under tables. behind
doors. under bed clothing. and every
conceivable shelter he can ind. When
Mrs. owens seeks 10 coax or comfort
MN he shrlehs IN apparent terror and
says that he wants 10 go home 70 his
mother On one occasion he crawled
under the dlning-room table. and Mrs
owens thought she should permit him 10
stay hloGen there' as long as ne was
quiet. Looking under the table little
later. she found MN sitting on the floor
asleep. Win MS liIle NPdN resting against
the table leg. Moving the table and pick
I,s ,I'-D az a. se.l''y rs PossiDie. she en-
DESPITE her care ba awoI,a and Eis crios
were redoubled. and hours of coaxfnr
and petting were of no avail. The boy