Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-24
WEEP At M0LLER BIER
Women Ask to See Ring Army
Officer Wore.
STORY OF BLIGHTED LOVE
Man Who Killed Himself Said to
Have Courted Miss Shirley.
CELEBRATED KENTUCKY BELLE
Recently Married Tom Shevlin.
Another Motive for Suicide in
Troubles in Army.

NEW YORK, February 24.-Two pretty
and fashionably gowned young women
| who are supposed to live somewhere II
or near 9Th avenue, made a secret ant
mysterious visit to the morgue last night
to view the body of Lieut.. John j. Mollel
| shot himself in the Grand Union Hote
last Monday night
The girls arrived in a taxicab when the
| rain was coming down in torrents a
| $50 o'clock. and besought Night Superin
| tendent Allen Goldie to let them see thu
body. When it was disclosed both girl:
sobbed Historically.
Poor John! Poor john" said the
younger girl, as her tears flowed fast, 81
| wonder II he suffered much?'
She apparently was not more thar
eighteen years old. She had an abun
dance of gold blond hair, was attired ir
blue and wore a stole muff of sable. Hell
companion, who was few years older
had an olive complexion and dark hair
She, too, was robed in blue and she wore
fur coat of the latest style. Jewels
sparkled on the fingers of both young
women.
Ask to See Ring.
will you look on the little finger OF
his left hand and tell me If you find a
small ring set with a small pearl?" asked
the older girl of Supt. Goldie.
The morgue keeper looked. but did not
find the ring. He told them it probably
was among the lieutenant's effects in the
hospital office, as all jewels are taken
from patients on arrival and removed
from bodies after death. At the hospital
office they were told the ring was held
by the police of the East Both street
station.
The young women said they were
friends of the dead man. but declined
to give their names or addresses. When
pressed they hastily re-entered the taxi
cab and were taken uptown.
Other friends of Moller called at the
hospital yesterday. Among them was a
soldier in captains uniform.
Il called to ask if the poor fellow suf-
fered?'' he said to DR.. Burke of the hos
pital staff.
When told that the lieutenant died in
agony he went away without a word.
Story of Blighted Love.
Sharp differences of opinion exist in
army circles as to the reason which
prompted Lieut.. Moller to put bullet
through his brain. Many friends on Gov
errors Island believe a crushing disap-
tune that made life valueless to him
Others are positive that grief over Of
fetal censure upon his work in the Philip
pines unhinged his reason.
Moller was graduated from West Point
in 1904, assigned to the Sth Infantry as
second lieutenant and sent to Governors
Island. where he acted as post adjutant
While there he met Miss Elizabeth
Shirley, the noted Kentucky beauty, who
recently became the bride of Tom Shev-
IT -
lete and millionaire. Miss Shirley was a
frequent guest at the post and Lieut.
Moller was attentive to her.
Philippines Trip Parts Them.
This friendship continued until the de-
parture of Moller and his regiment for
the Philippines in 1905. Friends Of Moller
are perfectly sure that the young officer
was deeply attached to the Kentucky
girl. but no one believes a formal engage
ment existed between them.
Moller returned from the Philippines
a year ago. and was detailed to the Pre-
sidio, at Monterey. Cal. The sunshine
had gone out Of his life He had been
court martialed in the Philippines on
charges Of permitting the torture of ma
tive prisoners and. although acquitted
had been denounced officially as a dis
grace to the service by the general in
command.
on MS return, 1FlenOS say, ne 1OunQ
garbled versions of his service troubles
had preceded him and that certain
former friends had been prejudiced
against him. and. worrying over these
conditions. he was no longer the alert,
hopeful junior officer. but a misanthropic
man, aged far beyond his years. He
was at his western post when Miss Shir-
ley was married.
Among the prominent army men who
do not credit this theory of disappointed
IN, e m
Johnson OF the 18th Cavalry
Brooded Over Service Troubles.
IT knew young Moller." said the cap
tain yesterday, land believe that NOR
bid brooding over his troubles in the
Philippines drove him to suicide. He
was probably attentive to Miss Shirley,
lust as he was courteousy attentive to
other ladies.
.,But the thing that broke his heart. in
nv opinion, was the Philippines matter.
He was acquitted by full board of Of
ficers. Nevertheless. Brig. Gen. Mills, in
command of the department, denounced
him mercilessly in review OF findings
of the court. 1t was like judge brand
ing as guilty a man found innocent by
q competent jury. 1t was worse for poor
Moller than verdict of guilty would
have been. l believe it sent him to his
DEATH
Chaplain E. B. Smith, U.S.A.. who is
detailed at Governors Island, and to
whom young Moler addressed his last
message, called at the Grand Union Ho-
tel yesterday and paid the suicides bill:
He then went to Bellevue and requested
that the body be kept in the hospital
morgue, pending the arrival Of instruc-
lions for its disposal from the dead Of
ficer's mother. Her home is at Monterey,
Cal.
"There Is no apparent motive for Mol
lers act" said Chaplain Smith last
night. II know nothing about any dis
appointment in love, and do not think
the Philippine trouble Influenced his act.