The Washington herald., 1909-04-30
KILLS GIRL STUDENT
Dartmouth Graduate Ends
Romance in Tragedy.
REJECTED BY HIS FIANCEE
Crime Committed on College Campus,
Just Before Opening of school,
Shocks Hundreds of Friends of the
Young Woman Gardener Wit
nesses the Shooting.

Northampton. Mass, April 29.-FOr the
first time IL the history Of Smith College
whose alumni number thousands and
whose undergraduates have counted mora
than Loo a year for a decade past, muir
der and suicide horrifed the college COM
munity to-day. when Helen Aver Marden.
OF Someryille, Mass, q senior, was shot
to death by her discarded hance. Porter
McDougaI Smith, OF Chicago, who was
graduated from Dartmouth in the class
OF '0s. and for many months a travelling
salesman.
Smith engaged the girl in conversation
cfter he had met her near one Of the en-
frances TO the college campus, returned
with her to the college grounds. and
walked a short distance TO the broac
pavement in front Of the students build
ing. He and the girl stood for a few sec
onds. and then there came the report OF
a pistol. a muffied report for the shot
was fred az very close range. The young
woman sgayed with a wound IN the right
temple. and was falling TO the ground
when another shot was fred and the ball
missed her. She fell on her face on the
pavement and as she lay there Smith
stood over her and drove a bullet into
her back.
Gardener Sees Shooting.
The college gardener saw the shooting,
and ran to disarm Smith. but as he sp-
preached Smith pressed the smoking
Enuzzle OF the new .32-catber pistol with
which be had fatally wounded the girl 70
his left temple and blew out his brains
He fell 10 the ground dead, and his body
lay within four feet Of that OF his victim,
who had lost consciousness and whose
blood mingled with his in n dark and
widening pool Of red Miss Msrden lived
until n:50 O'Clock. when size died In the
room in the students building into which
she was carried after the shooting
Those who loved Helen Marden most
say that Smith was out OF his head. and
that he would not have committed the
deed had be been himself Her sister.
LGtiis2 Marden. a member OF the Smith
junior class. saws that she dNes not blame
him for what he did. fo- he could not
have known what II was he was doing
Smiths own sister would make no state
nlt nj to-day
Two In Conference.
The busiest hour OF the Smith College
day was chosen by Porter smith for his
Interview with the girl. who last year
promised 10 be his wife and who at
Christmas broke the engagement He
left MS room in the Hotel Draper soon
after O'Clock. and went 20 the college
where he waited FOR the girl 10
appear
Helen Marden was within sight OF her
lodging house when she net smith on the
walk The girl and the man were seen
- talk for a minute, and then both
crossed the street. side BY side. 10 the
campus gate and entered the grounds
They were walking slowly. engaged in
conversation and went along until they
reached the front Of the students build
Ing. when they stopped
Edward J. Canning. the college gar
7fne-, ard a number Of men who were
him In setting out young trees.
saw the couple approach and stop. sud
denly there was a report OF a pistol.
and the little group OF men heard the girl
scream and saw her sway. As she was
-eeliug 10 the pavement there was an
2tAer shot. and a bullet went singing
through the air.
The girl had fallen 10 the ground and
Vas lying on her face when smith fred
The third shot and buried bullet IN h--
back. canning sprang forward when the
second shot was fired. and was crossing
the green lawn when Smith. after firing