Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-15
Wife Found His Body.

the suicide bear the tag of a ), ashington
concern.
Wife Found His Body.
Mr. Howell was siXty-three years o.
age and had been long sufferer from in
fiammatory rheumatism. Mrs. Howell
left their home in Takoma Park about II
o clock to do some shopping III the city.
returning shortly after :: o'clock.
The odor of gas attracted her attention
when she entered the house. She went in
search of the source. to find her hus-
bands dead body resting on the bed in
an upper room
Neighbors came to her assistance and a
physician determined that death had oc-
Cured some time before Mrs. Howell re-
turned home. Three gas fixtures Iii the
room had been opened.
Mr.. Howell was Il native of Delaware
and had resided i'll the District of Column
bia only few years. Coroner hewitt
viewed the body and gave the necessary
Tomorrow Mrs Howell will accompany
the body to Middletown, Del, where in
terment will take place.
Garden Scene of Tragedy.
Gottleib Heilinan. forty-seven years old.
who was in the restaurant business at Ga;
D street northwest. also had been suf-
ferer from rheumatism for several years.
He had never given any intimation that
he intended TO end his life.
Heilman had been about his place Of
business and home most of the day, con-
versing with his family and friends. Only
few minutes before he shot himself he
was talking with members of his family
apparently in the best of spirits
Heilman left his wife and children in
the house about :. q clock. and went TO the
garden. There he seated himself in n
big armchair he had been accustomed to
occupying during the heated part of the
day.
\ few minutes after he had left the
house his wife and children heard the
report of the pistol
Mrs. Heilman found him with the
wound in his head and the pistol on the
ground. His body had not fallen from
the chair.
Emergency Hospital sent physician
extinct. Coroner hewitt gave a certificate
of death.
His wife and two daughters survive
He came to this city in 1850. having re-
coming from Germany. For several years
he was employed in the bakery of John
l.. Nogt, later conducting grocery store.
Heilman two years age underwent two
operations for hernia
Funeral services Will be conduct ed
Friday afternoon at 2:ao o'clock in the
chapel at Geiers undertaking establish
ment 1113 tin street northwest. Inter-
ment will be in Rock Greek cemetery
Lost Place at Capitol.
4 message received AT police neadquar-
ters last night from Lansdowne, Pa, told
of the suicide there of man thought TO
have been Alva g. Putnam, formerly en-
ployed as an assistant doorkeeper at the
House of Representatives.
The body was found yesterday morn
ing resting against monument in the
cemetery, bullet hole and a pistol at
one side furnishing mute testimony of the
tragedy that had been enacted the night
before. Nine cents were found in his
pockets.
Gone 10 his rest was the inscription
on the stone against which the body
rested.
Friends in this city were interviewed by
Detective Pratt last night. and they read
ily understood why Putnam might have
been led tn kill himself. Two wears ago
they stated. he lost his position at the
Capitol, and opened a cigar store at al:::,
Pennsylvania avenue northwest, residing
few doors from the store.
During recent months. they said, lis
business was not what it had been be-
fore and his sales did not net him
enough to pay his rent and living c<-
pcnSes. Three weeks ago he closed his
store and went away, saving he was
going to return tn his former home at
South Bend, Ind, and make an effort to
get on his feet.
Putnam left his trunk at the house
where he boarded. lie told the 'andladv
he would send for il a. Sool as he g.
tahlshed himself in business in the west.
She heard nothing more of him until
the dctccttv" called last night and told
Of the message that had been received.
II is probable that relatives OF Putnam
ut South Bend will be advised Of his
death.