The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-13
.lCHARGE WIFE WITH
DEATH OF HUSBAND
Case of Mrs. Quinn to Be
Tried Monday, Is Attract
ing Attention.
tNational News Association

National News Association)
CHICAGO, April 13-The case of
Mrs. Jane Quinn, which is scheduled
to be called for trial at the Cook
County Criminal Court on Monday, Is
attracting more than ordinary interest
owing to the many peculiar features
of mystery it presents. Mrs. Quinn is
charged with the murder of her third
husband, John NJ Quinn, who was kill
ed by a pistol shot while in bed on
the morning of November 2, 1911.
!Since the arrest on suspicion of Mrs.
tQuinn. a short time after the death
of her husband, the authorities have
collected great mass Of evidence con-
corning not only the present case
against the woman, but the whole past
history of the accused, which contains
!many points of sinister aspect.
John M. Quinn was street railway
jemploye in Kalamazoo, Mich, when he
met and shortly after married the wo-
man now charged with his murder.
Her former, second, husband, War
iren Thorpe, a wealthy farmer, near
jackson, Mich, according to her state
iment, had committed suicide by shoot
ling himself in June, 1903. After her
marriage to Quinn she kept board
ling house in Kalamazoo for a while,
but soon she removed with her hus-
fband to Chicago, where they located
in the Kensington district on South
michigan Ave-, near 10th street. On
the morning of Quinn's death Mrs.
eQuinn reported to the police that he
had been killed and robbed by burg
lar, with whom she alleged to have
had an encounter.
Detectives visited and searched the
house shortly after the murder and
found hidden behind the bathtub and
wrapped in a piece of cotton cloth a
revolver with one empty and several
t1oaded shells. the calibre of which cor
responded with the size of the bullet
Ifound in Quinns breast. 1t was ascer-
rtained that the revolver was the pro-
iperty of J. w. Miller, roomer in the
shouse Of the Quinns. Miller testified
during the inquest that a day or so
before the murder he missed the re-
volver which he always kept in his
bureau drawer. He spoke to Mrs.
PQuinn about 1t and she requested him
mot to say anything about it to her
Husband. She offered to pay for the
gun, in case it should not be found
aagain. Mrs. Quinn was arrested on
suspicion and, after the Coroner's
dury had given a formal verdict, charg-
ing her with having shot her husband,
she was taken to the Hyde Park po-
lice station. Later she was indicted by
the Grand Jury and her case set for
next Monday.
The past history of Mrs. Quinn, as
ascertained by the efforts of the po-
lice and as it will be presented at the
trial, ives repleto with tragedy. Mrs.
Quinn was formerly Jennie Taylor,
and, it is believed, was born in Lon
don, Ont. She was a handsome and
unusually attractive girl and had many
ssuitors. She entered upon her first re-
corded matrimonial venture on Octo-
her %, 1888, when she married John
Mcdonald, wealthy resident of Lon
hdon, Ont. After a few years Melon
sald and his wife removed to Jackson,
michigan, where a daughter, Pearl
FMcDonald, was born to them. While
living in Jackson. Mrs. Mcdonald fire.
tquently visited her sister, Mrs. Alice
ESparks, who was a housekeeper for
kWarren Thorpe, wealthy farmer near
jackson. There she met Thorpe, who
kbecame quite fascinated by the hand
ssome Mrs. Mcdonald.
Was Drinking Man.
Mcdonald suddenly died on Septem-
kber %, 1901, and as he had been a
drinking man it was readily believed
THAT he had died from alcoholic pois-
loning," as his widow asserted. About
Tone month after the death of Melon
fald his widow married Thorpe, who
had several grown-up children from a
kformer marriage. The marriage, it
kseems, was not very happy and vio-
Hent quarrels were frequently the or
tder of the day. One Sunday morning
lin June, 1903, Thorpe was shot while
sitting on his bed, engaged in lacing
his shoes. When arrested on suspicion,
Mrs. Thorpe stated that her husband
had committed suicide. Although there
kwere grave doubts concerning the
truth of her statement, there was no
Twas acquitted. 1t was ascertained
ksince then, that on the sans morning
aThorpe intended to visit one of his
married sons with the intention of
sdeeding to him 100 acre farm.
After Thorpe's death his widow went
ITO Kalamazoo. Mich. where she be-
came acquainted with John NJ. Quinn
who shortly after became her third
husband 1t is stated that the accus-
led woman inherited considerable pro-
sperty from her first and her second
husband and several other relatives OF
sThorpe and Mcdonald will appear as
witnesses against Mrs. Quinn at the
looming trial.