The Washington herald., 1911-04-14
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
IN POTOMAC PARK
Continued from Page One.

rode with Maj Butt to the nearest park
police house to grve information OF the af-
fair. Park Policeman Kalbach was on
duty, and receiving word from the Pres
ident of the tragedy sent a hurry call
to the Harbor precinct station.
That one of the drownings was not
suicide was the statement of eyewit-
nesses to the tragedy. Jack Henderson,
a negro Said he saw a woman push a
boy into the water, and then jump in aft
er him. He said there was no question
but that the lad was murdered by the
woman. Both were negroes, and their
bodies were recovered an hour later by
the police. The boy was about fifteen
years old. and the woman was evidently
his mother.
q According to William Fox who lives in
Bran A.ley, he saw the woman and boy
walking slowly across the bridge. They
were in earnest conversation. and the
boy was heard to ask when he was going
home
Il want to go home" Fox says he
heard the lad say.
The couple went down the slope on the
south side of the bridge and walked on
the bride path When about 80 yards
from the bridge they left the patch and
went to the edge of the water wall
the couple. He says he saw the woman
deliberately push the boy into the water
I shouted to her" he said. "and de-
cIared I would tell on her"
Picking up a long pole Fox says he
ran across the bridge 10 the spot where
the lad went down. Just before he
reached the place the woman leaped into
tically for his life. Fox said he held the
mr. he lad h1rr no
ing his intention. grasped the boy around
the neck and pushed him under the
water. She then dove under, and neither
came to the surface.
1t was shortly afterward that the
President and his aid rode onto the
bridge in sight of the place Of the
tragedy.
Love Prompts Death.
Prevented from marrying the woman he
loved because he already had a wife Is
the reason assigned by friends of Sephaus
Schooler, forty-two years old, an en-
ploye Of the park department for taking
his life yesterday morning in a room at
ssS c street southwest. Schooler cut his
throat with a razor at the home of Mrs.
Elizabeth Huff, mother of Mrs. Sarah
Fannie Henry, with whom Schooler Is
said to have been in love.
4 newspaper clipping found on a table
next to the bed where Schoolers body
lay probably tells the story of the rash
act The article tells of the annulment
of the marriage of Mrs Flora Schooler
TO Raymond G. Phillips. Mrs. Flora
Schooler was the wife Of the deceased
and the annulment of the marriage still
left him bound TO her. Mrs. SchooIer had
married Phillips regardless OF the fact
that she was a wife.
That Scnooler ard Flora Davis were
married here on June TO- 1901, is shown by
the records at the District Court. n
was learned that on Friday before her
marriage to Phillips, Mrs. Schooler went
to Alexandria. Va, and did not return.
1t is said Phillips met her there, and
that the couple were later married in
baltimore. A month later Phillips filed
a suit to have the marriage set aside,
claiming that friend had informed him
she was the legal wife of another man.
Justice Stafford annulled the marriage on
May s. 1905
The suicide was Investigated by Sergt.
Kaucher and Policeman Van Horn,
of the Fourth precinct. Later Coroner
Nevitt issued a certificate of death by
suicide The suicide was a native of
Stafford County, Va His relatives have
been notified
Suicide on the Dolphin.
Phillip c. Arlington. seaman twenty
years old assigned to the Dolphin
committed suicide yesterday morning on
board the ship by shooting himself in
the head The act was done about ten
,rip,tes after he had boa arded the vessel