Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-07
HIS WOUNDS WERE FATAL
JANIS LEsLIE's DEATH FOL-
Lows THAT OF MURDERER.
William Parks Wreaks Vengeance for
Fancied Grievance and Then
Commits Suicide.

James L. Leslie, the inmate Of the Sol
diers' Home who was shot and dangerously
wounded about noon yesterday while try
Ing to prevent the murder Of Sister Paula,
q nurse in the Barnes Hospital. did not
live great while after his murderer. VIII
liam Parks, committed suicide. Parks, az
stated in yesterdays Star, died almost in
stantly, but his victim lived several hours
1t is believed that Sister Paula would GER
tainly have lost her life had not Leslie
jumped between her and Parks, who was
intoxicated and evidently armed to kill.
Parks believed that Sister Paula had been
the cause Of his being relieved from duty
rs an orderly IN the hospital, but the su-
perintendent declared she had nothing to
DO with his removal. It was believed yes
terday that Parks had purchased his weap-
on at the time he visited the city yesterday
morning and bought whisky, but the police
records showed that the weapon was pur-
chased March %, the day he was relieved
from duty. 1t is believed he intended to
kill the one who had caused his removal,
but he waited until he had become saturat-
ed with rum, and thus acquired the courage
to pull the trigger Of the weapon.
Threatened Nurse.
When he returned to the hospital yester-
day he went to the dining room and sent
word to one Of the orderlies that he wanted
to see him outside. The orderly did not
want to see him, however, and refused to
go. From there Parks went direct to ward
E and started toward Sister Paula with
the loaded weapon in his hand. He. had
the revolver pointed in the direction Of the
young woman, and would probably have
shot her had not Leslie, the orderly, jump
ed between them. Before this, however,
Parks had accused Sister Paula of being
responsible for his being relieved from
duty In the hospital Sister Paula saw that
he was intoxicated and ordered him from
the ward, telling him that she would have
to report him II he did not go.
IF you do" he told her. you die"
Leslie then got between them, but before
he could disarm the Intoxicated man the
latter had shot him. A second bullet from
the weapon also struck Leslie, but the
third shot went wild. The fourth shot sent
the bullet into Parks stomach. and he fell
upon the floor of the hospital almost life
less. When Sister Paula fully realized
that Orderly Leslie had sacrificed his life
for her she tainted. She recovered in a
short while. however, and hurried to the
bedside of the dying man. When Detec-
the sister seated at the bedside Of Leslie,
holding his hand and doing what little she
could to make him comfortable.
Coroner's Verdict.
Coroner hewitt this morning directed
that the body Of Leslie be removed to the
morgue, where the body Of the murderer
and suicide was taken yesterday after
noon. in order that he might view both
bodies and learn Of the circumstances
under which the double tragedy was en-
acted. He made the investigation later in
the day and gave the necessary death GER
tificates. In the case of Leslie, the certifi-
cate was that his death resulted from
gunshot wounds which were inflicted by
Parks, while that In the Parks case was
that he had committed suicide.
When the coroner had concluded his in
vestigation the authorities at Soldiers
Home were told that they might remove
the bodies for burial. It is likely that they
will occupy adjoining graves in the Gene
terry at Soldiers Home.