The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-26

Philadelphia, May 2j.-Mlss Mary
Klump thirty-eight years old. OF 40
North Twentieth street. and John Nc
Govern. Of l5H Cherry street. were taken
10 hospital shortly after 4 O'Clock this
afternoon from a house at IG1 Vine
street, the woman dead and the man
dying from bullet wounds in the chest
Mystery as TO who did the shooting IS
battling the police The woman died
| shortly after being admitted 70 the hos
pitaL She had two bullets in her left
side McGovern was shot three times in
the chest. and when brought into the
hospital the doctors said he had no
chance for recovery.
In a statement made 70 the police after
the shooting, McGovern said that he had
been shot by two men. He claimed that
he did not know who shot the woman as
he became unconscious after the first
shot had hit him
What mystifes the police is the fact
that On a short gown that the woman
wore there were no powder marks.
which would have probably followed had
the woman shot herself while the mans
chest was burned by the powder Of the
revolver which was found between the
two.
HcGovern Has a Wife.
McGovern was married and n1d lived
with his wife AZ the Cherry street address
for about three months. Previous 20 that
time they had been in Buffalo, and Nc
Govern said he originally came from Bos-
ton
The dead woman had lived a the
Twentieth street address for about three
years, and was always considered LichIv
respectable, She had no men friends. ac-
cording 10 Mrs Williams. the prop~ie-
;reSs OF the house. and seldom went out.
According 20 Mrs. Williams. the woman
came OF prominent family in Washing
ton. She told q story OF having guarreled
with her relatives in the Capital City
when she came here. Il was also said
az the house that she was a niece OF
Joseph Klump. a Washington millionaire.
Last Friday afternoon McGovern went
10 a house at 1921 Vine street and asked
for room for himself and wife. He
said his wife was employed I'm a depart
ment store and would be in later He
paid for the room IN advance and went
out again.
Sounds OF QuarreIinE.
They didn't occupy the room Monday
night. but Tuesday night they were there.
and about o'clock this morning Mrs.
Elizabeth Ward, the proprietor OF the
house, heard them talking loudly and was
under the impression that they were
GUaTe,ing. Mrs. Mary Hare. who has
the room in the front Of the house on the
second floor. also heard the loud talking.
Nothing more was heard from the pair
until this afternoon. when Airs. Hare
heard the shots and ran screaming "a. tho
window. Mrs. Ward also heard the shots,
and WIS on her way 10 the stairway when
Policeman Burgess, OF the Eleventh
street station-house. who lives across the
street. entered the house.
Burgess, with Mrs Ward. went I'D the
stairs and forced the door OF the room.
Here both man and woman were found
unconscious. the woman on the side to
ward the wall.
In the room was a whisky bottle. al
most empty, several packs Of cards, an
empty soda bottle a number OF cigarette
boxes, and the clothing which had been
worn by the pair.
Met Woman at Hotel.
McGovern said he met the woman at
the Hotel Rittenhouse. where he was
employed about three months ego as a
Hantryman. and where she had been en-
ployed for three years as a checker in
the storcroom.
Two weeks ago McGovern gave I'D his
position at the Rittenhouse. and at that
time Mrs. McGovern told one OF the en-
ployes OF the Terminal Hotel that her
husband was going with another woman.
Since leaving the Rittenhouse McGovern
had been hunting for work
According 10 the story which ne told
the police to-day AIcGovern had been
trying 10 leave the Klump woman. and
met her for the last time at her request.
He said that he bought the revolver with
which the shooting was done on Tuesday
This, he said, was because the woman
had asked him to buy a revolver. She
was going 10 marry a Western man sb.
told him. and was afraid Of him. Despite
this. McGovern said that the woman
did not want 10 give him up. and that
she loved him.
The name Of Joseph Klump does not
appear IN the Washington city directory
nor in the local telephone list. Inquiry
reveals he is not known TO Washington
capitalists.