Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-31
Asserts That Wife Shit
Herself and Baby.
Two Deaths Follow Family Quar-.
rel Within Few Hours.
Telephones For Doctor, Both pa,a
When Ne Arrives,

washington, Jan. 30.-Answerine
call from w. G. Copley, a census os.A
clerk, DR.. John s. Dorsey, a nbvs,asAN
at Langdon, rushed to the roan,s ~.u
idence at midnight and there fomnd 20
wife and S-months-old child of tss
clerk dead with several bullet worns'
in their bodies. Copley, DIR. Dorsey Sa,s
reported that his wife had shot herss,,
and the baby.
When the doctor arrived at the "a,
ley residence both Mrs. Copley ANA ~.
baby were dead. The former had ~
shot in the right side and the ,at,o.
was shot through the head DR.. Dorsa..
notified the police of the 9th precinct :,
soon as he had grasped the situation
and as result the husband and n
Their was placed under arrest. He IVA.
taken to the 9th precinct station
house.
DR.. Dorsey early today refused =,
discuss the shooting or give any of .bs
details which had been learned bv h,m
through his connection with the casa
He said:
Il don't care to make a statemen,
When 1 go before the coroner TO-DAY 4
will be time enough for that. I was
called about 1870 by Mr.. Copley. He an.
peared to have dressed hurriedly and
seemed somewhat excited. went n
the house and found Mrs. Copley and
the baby dead"
Police Lieut.. Falvey after examin.
ing the wound which caused Mrs. Con.
ley's death, said that it would have
been next to impossible for the woman
to have inflicted the injury hersel,
Shortly after midnight Copley called
in DR.. Dorsey, telling him that his wife
had attempted to commit suicide. When
the physician arrived at the Copley
residence, Rhode Island avenue and
Queen Chapel road, northeast both
Mrs. Copley and the baby were dead
Copley was placed under arrest and
subjected to q severe examination. but
insisted that his wife had killed her.
self. The prisoner declared that he
did not know the baby had been shot
until DR.. Dorsey pulled down the GOV.
ers of the bed in which the two were
lying. Copley admitted that he and
his wife had quarreled early last night
and said that his wife had taken the
two children, Raymond, three years
old, and Ruth, the baby, and gone to
Il room and that he went to his room on
the second floor to retire for the night
Shortly before midnight he said he
heard two Shots in the bedroom occr
pied by his wife and rushed into IN
room. He found that his wife had shot
herself and without making q further
examination he hurried to find DR.. Dor
sey.
Mr.. and Mrs. Copley until they came
here in 1902, resided at Walnut, IA
Copley is 80 years old. He was a mem.
Der of the Saith Iowa Regiment and
served sometime in the Philippines.
Mrs. Copley was % years old Her
maiden name was Amanda Bunker.
Persons living near the Coplcy home
said that Mr.. and Mrs. Copley had al
ways appeared to be happy. Both were
given excellent regulations. Coroner
hewitt will hold an inquest Thursday.
Raymond, the 3-year-old son, is be-
ing cared for by friends of the Copley
family. He was sleeping in crib in
his mothers room, but was not molest-
ed.
Lieut.. Peck of the Central police sta
ton tonight said that after most
thorough investigation he has conclud-
ed that Mrs.<Copley shot and killed the
baby Ruth and then committed suicide
and that he believes that Copley VIII
be released after tomorrow's Inquest