Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03
James [. Cryer Prefers Death
to Facing Forgery Charge.
SHOOTS SELF IN TEMPLE
Detective Is Standing Near When
Tragedy Occurs.
PARTNER AWAITS HIS RETURN
Girl With Whom He Was Dancing,
as Well as Others There, Knew
Nothing Of Suicide.

called from a merry throng of dancers
at a dancing class at the National Rifles
| Armory on G street last night about 10
| o clock to be placed under arrest to
answer charges of forgery, James L. Cry
| er, twenty-four years old, drew q revolver
! from his hip pocket and shot himself in
the right temple. He was rushed to the
Emergency Hospital and died at lilo
| o'clock
| Cryer was in an aIcoye on the third
floor Of the building, the floor above the
dance hall, and almost within reach of
Detectives Cornwell and Fortney when
the shot was fired. The officers were un-
able to reach him in time to prevent him
from firing the shot however, and when
they saw what he had done they had an
ambulance summoned.
While Cryer's companion waited in the
! nail Tor him to return and finish the
dance the wounded man was carried to
the ground floor and placed In the am
buiance None of those participating
pened until the dance was finished. SO
quietly was the wounded man taken
from the building
Detectives had been looking for Cryer
Tor two weeks or more. While Detec-
tives CornWeli and Fortney were q,
the armory looking for him Detective
Berman and others were looking else
where. young woman had accom-
panied one Of the detectives to the
armory to point out the man wanted.
Dancing When Accosted.
Cryer was dancing with young
| woman when Detective Cornwell reached
the door and saw him.
/ II want to see you outside" Corn
| well said to him.
"All right" said Cryer, excusine him
door.
"Will you let me go upstairs and get
my hat and coat?" he asked the detective.
Detective Cornwell said he had no no.
bareheaded. and went with him to the
upper floor. where the hats and coats
F. are kept. Reaching the third floor, Cry
er stepped to the opening and esked
] NAKED Thomas, the colored man in
charge Of the cioakroon. for his hat and
They are in fifty-four,'' he told Thomas.
Ail right" said Thomas, turning and
going in the direction Of the compa1t-.
ment indicated.
About the time Thomas reached the
hat and coat the owner of the articles
turned from the detective and darted
into the alcove.. the top of the opening.
being 50 low that 1t was necessary for
Cryer drew the weapon from his pocket
as. he passed through the low opening
and fired.
Il saw him reach for the pistol said
going to shoot the cOlored man. hur-
ried to grab him before he could shoot,
but just as ] was about to place my
hands on him he discharged the weapon
and fell to the floor"
Shot Himself in Temple.
Detective cornwell picked up the pistol
He saw that the bullet had entered the
right temple of Cryer and that the wound
ed man was unconscious. He thought he
was dying. The teacher Of the class was
quietly summoned from the hall and told
Of the occurrence, and in a few minutes
the ambulance was at the arInory door
A large crowd of persons on the street
gathered in front Of the armory when
they saw the ambulance stop. They
waited TO see the wounded man brought
out. but those who were attending the
dance continued to do the light fantastic
without having been advised Of the
tragedy.
Cryer was wanted on a charge OF pass
| Ing checks to which the name Of T. Free
| man Mattingly local agent for the Monu-
mental Brewing Company Of Baltimore
udu Ueen IOTSeO, ana MS 00N0smAn, In
other cases pending against him. wanted
! to surrender him to the police. Crycr
+! had also been arrested for alleged failure
to support his wife and child. the. police
say. and had beeu ordered to pay his
wife So a week
Cryer, 1t Is said by the police, was sepa-
rated from his wife and child, Mrs. Cryer
residing at the home OF her parents in
Langdon.
The latter part of August Mr.. Mat
tingiy caused the arrest OF Cryer for al
legged embezzlement. Cryer was employed
as driver and collector, and It was
charged that he embezzled $,9.75 of the
money he collected for beer he had de-
1ivered at saloons and private residences
James Fletcher became surety for him
ing was waived in the Police Court and
the defendant was held for the grand
jury. When Fletcher learned that Cryer
was blamed for other Cffenses he pro-
cured a writ for his arrest in order that
he might surrender him and have him
committed to jail.
Charged He Forged Checks.
Following the time he was arrested and
given a preliminary hearing OH charge
of embezzlement, II Is charged, Cryer did
little or no work. It Is charged that he
procured small sums Of money or checks
to which he is charged with having
forged Mr.. Mattinglys name, saloon
keepers with whom he had previously
had dealings having cashed the checks
for him.
Detectives and policemen who knew he
was wanted to- answer the more recent