The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-07-21
WHIPS A WASHER;
BEATEN BY WIFE
Girl Who Gained Fame by
Knocking Out Annoyer,
Victim of Jealousy.

New York, July 21.-Although she
thrashed a masher on Broadway and
thereby secured not a little fame,
Miss Gtrtrude Coomer found it differ
ent when a woman attacked her, es-
pecially, as she says, when the woman
was jealous of her.
AS a result of her new encounter
Miss Coomer, who is a beautiful girl
from Birmingham, Ala, is in a SER
ious condition at the Hotel Calvert,
Broadway and Forty-first street, and
has been under physicians care
for several days. She expects to be
able to leave her room this week.
Her lawyer, S. j. Karlin, has instituted
two suits for damages.
Miss Coomer is a mass of bruises
from head to foot from the beating
she says she received at the hands
and feet of Mrs. Ada Jermond, wife
of a theatrical instructor at Eighth
and Vine streets, Philadelphia.
She Thrashes a Washer
1t was two months ago that Miss
Coomer first came before the public.
She was employed as a cashier in
restaurant and her beauty attracted
attention wherever she went. While
walking down Broadway she was &C
costed by a masher and he received
the surprise of his young life, for in
stead of hurrying to avoid him Miss
Coomer turned, swung a right to his
jaw, dropped him on the sidewalk,
an dthen pommeled him some more.
She was taken to the Roosevelt hos
pital after this experience, suffering
| from shock to her nerves.
when l left the hospital" said
Miss Coomer, Il was told that owing
to the notoriety 1 had received 1 could
not keep my position. 1t was neces-
sary for me to earn my living, and
secured a position as usher in the
Winter garden. l was advised to go
on the stage and was told l would
make good show girl.
Il went to a theatrical agency and
made application. They asked me II
l had had any experience, and OF
course l told them l had not. Then
they told me that l could get the de-
sired training for a little money at
Jermond's school in Philadelphia. Mr..
Jermond was in the office and recon-
mended the training to me.
Learns Wife is Jealous Of Her.
Il went to Philadelphia, and Mr..
Jermond was on the same train. had
been there only short time when
learned that Mrs. Jermond was jeal-
Gus of me, and l decided to come back
to New York. On the afternoon of the
Fourth l prepared to depart.
"On the pretext of having me sign
contract, Mrs. Jermond got me into
her private Office with her husband
and herself the only others present.
She accused me of having accepted
attentions from her husband and base
ly slandered me. l was too Mortified
to reply at first, but when l recovered
my speech l denied it.
This Infatuated her so that she at
tackled me with her hands. pulling my
hair and beating me on the face and
head. She knocked me down, kicked
me, and threatened to kill me.
when l managed to get out of the
room she pushed me downstairs.
When l recovered half an hour later
I was in cigar store in the building
with six men ministering to me-"
Wanders While in Daze.
| Miss Coomer says that she has no
clear recollection of subsequent
events, for her brain was in whirl
She awoke next morning in Atlantic
City, not knowing how she got there
She was assisted to the depot and put
on a train for New York and a box
took her to the Hotel Calvert.
Last Friday, she says, she started
for drug store on Forty-second
street She was found lying unconsci-
Gus in front of the New York theater.
and she is unable to tell how she
reached there. A policeman took her
in a taxicab to her hotel. She has
been under the care of DR.. A. J. Fox
since Saturday. He says her condi-
ton has been critical and that she
was threatened with brain fever.
Attorney Karlin declared today that
he will sue Mrs. Jermond in behalf of
Miss Coomer for SANDER, and also for