Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-09
Augustus Dennis Shoots Her
and Then Himself.
JEALOUSY GIVEN AS CAUSE
Both at Hospital and May Recover
From Wounds.
CHARGE DENIED
Mother-in-Law Asserts That There
Was No Ground for His
Accusation.

After fondling his eight months old
child, August Herman Dennis this morn
ing attempted to slay his eighteen-year-
old wife, Esther Hackiey Dennis. and to
take his own life.
Both are at the Emergency Hospital.
and, unless complications set in, will re-
cover.
Four shots were fired at the young
mother. but only two took effect. one In
fiicting an ugly wound in the center Of
her breast. and the other entering her
body under the left arm. Dennis has
bullet hole in the right side of his head
Jealousy is ascribed by members OF Mrs.
Dennis family as the reason for the at
tempted murder. Dennis had heard that
a young man from AlexanL ia, Va, had
been calling on his wife in his absence,
and he accused her of encouraging the
others attentions.
Mrs Dennis has been living at the
home of her parents, at 9161s 9th street
northwest, and it was there that Dennis
sought her this morning. Entering the
house by a rear door, he found his moth
er-in-law. Mrs. Rosella Hackley. i'm the
kitchen. Had the young Alexandrian been
at the house yesterday? he demanded to
know. Yes, he was told, and his answer
was that his wife loved the other young
man and not her husband.
He caught sight Of his baby a minute
later and stopped to play with II on the
kitchen floor. After few minutes, he
suddenly jumped to his feet and started
to the second story of the home, where
his wife's room was.
Accuses His Wife.
Mrs. Hackley followed her son-in-law
up the stairs and into her daughters
room.
why are you trying to do me dirty"
asked Dennis, by going with that fell
low? You love him and don't love me
any more
II am going to get divorce from You, .
the wife is said to have replied. because
you do not support me-
You won't have to get q divorce" the
husband replied. II am going to kill you
and myself.
Mrs Hackley pleaded with her son-in-
law not to carry out his threat.
She reproved her son-in-law. she says,
for deceivfng his wife as to the amount
Of salary he was receiving.
'I asked him why he had lied to Ethel
in saying he was getting $40 a week.
while he was only making 81" said Mrs.
Hackley later.
The mother-in-law left the husband
and wife in the bedroom. Her son. Nor
man Hackley. twelve years of age, who
was in an adjoining room, also heard
Dennis say he was going to kill his wife.
and through the open door saw him draw
a revolver from his pocket.
Brother Tells of Shooting.
LAS he did SO, 1 ran into the room, but
he pointed it at me and said he would
kill me-" said Norman. II ran downstairs.
and Harry Kaufenberger, who lives at
63l 28th street, and who had come in and
was talking to mamma, went upstairs
with me.
when we looked into the door Dennis
pointed the revolver at us and Harry
went downstairs. AS / peeped through
the door crack l saw Dennis shoot at my
sister and .:a.-n put the revolver against
his head and shoot himself"
Norman ran downstairs and started to-
ward the third precinct police station to
tell the police of the shooting. But In
the meantime neighbors had called the
police and also telephoned to the Emer-
rency Hospital for the ambulance.
Struck by the first bullet fired. Mrs.
Dennis fell behind the bed. Dennis fired
another shot at her. 1t passed through
her left side, crashed through a window
pane and struck door frame across the
street.
Believing that he had killed his wife,
Dennis placed the revolver against his
own head and pulled the trigger. he
fell to the floor.
Mrs Dennis had not lost consciousness
and she struggled to her feet and ran
and out onto the street
Husband Fires From Window.
The husband had crawled to the win
dow. which was open. and saw his wife
on the front pavement He pointed the
revolver at her again and fired two more
shots. Neither hit the mark.
When the ambulance arrived at the
house both the husband and wife were
place. in il and hurried to the Emergency
Hosn;tal. Both were unconscious when
they arrived at the hospital. but revived
later. and it is expected that unless COM
nlications set in, they will recover
Mrs. Hackley declared that the shoot-
;nV resulted from Dennis jealousy. Yet
there was no cause for jealousy on the
art of the husband. she declared, as the
young man from Alexandria who called
at the house was a friend of the FAMILY
and did not call especially to see Mrs.
Dennis. at. "a.
The couple were married in this city
February 3. 1910. after tourtship OF sew
eral months and their eight-month-oid
child is now being cared Tor py MRS.
Hackley Dennis is twenty-tnree years
Of age and has been employed as COOK
in a lunch room. He has been living at
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