Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-03-02
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY
jealous Sutton Kills Woman
and Shoots Himself.
ENDS S0RDiD ROMANCE
Roarder at Glass Workers Home in
Cape May Court House Stays
Landlady and Mortally
Wounds Himself.

Cape May Court House, N. T., Feb.
29.-Joseph Petit. boardor at the
home OF Isaiah Bowker. at Railroad
and Stiles avenue, this place, shot and
killed Mrs. Kate Bowker and then at
tempted to commit suicide.
Petit seized Mrs. Bowker and, as
be clasped one hand around her
throat, fired bullet from his revolver
into her head. Then he sent several
bullets into his own brain. Mrs. Bow
ker staggered into the hallway and
fell upon the floor,
Petit dropped In the bedroom, and
when neighbors reached the house he
was unconscious. He was removed to
a hospital. The physicians said that
he would probably die. The tragedy
was witnessed by boy and girL
who also live in the house.
Isaiah Bowker, husband of the muir
dered woman, is employed In the fac
tory OF the Cape May Glass company
as batch maker.
Petit went to the Bowker house to
live ten years ago and had boarded
there since. According to the county
authorities, he became attentive to
Mrs. Bowker. but friends OF the wo-
man said that he misconstrued her
friendship.
known as Bert was taken into the
house by Bowker as a boarder. Pet.
tit became jealous of him the frs,
time he saw him speak with Mrs
Bowker. He Is alleged to have told
her that she had no right to become
interested In any one but himself.
Bert seemed to like Mrs. Bowker,
and quarrels resulted between him and
Petit. Mrs. Bowker told them not to
be silly. that she was not interested
in either, and that II her husband
learned OF the quarrels he would order
both from the house.
Bert disappeared a few days ago
No one can be found who knows
where he went, but he told friend
that he ives going away for the sake
of peace In the Bowker home. Mrs
Bowker became angry when she heara
this and demonstrated with Petit and
told him that he had no right to offend
Bert to such an extent.
Petit is said to have retorted thai
II Mrs. Bowker would not have him
he would see to It that she did MOI
get Bert. She laughted, and that. i
is believed, aroused the Jealousy o.
Petit.
Mrs Bowker went into her bedroom
and closed the door Petit followef
her and apparently forced entrance Il
the room, where another quarrel i
said to have occurred.
A boy named Parsons, who lives II
the house as an adopted son, hear
Mrs. Bowker scream murder. He rar
up the stairs, and through the door
way saw Petit seize Mrs Bowker. II,
told the authorities that he saw HIN
draw a revolver from his pocket anl
point 1t at the woman.
a sister of Parsons became fright
ened at the connection and chung Il
the boy. They both looked into tht
room and saw, they say, Petit shoot
Mrs. Bowlser screamed Petit fire
again and again. and two bullets miss
ed the head OF the woman and EN-
bedded themselves in a window sash
Mrs. Bowker managed to break fror
his grasp. She staggered into the
hall, and then Petit fred two bullet
into his head Mrs. Bowker fell against
the wall, cutting her head. The next
instant she fell to the floor dead. The
boy and his sister ran from the houst
shouting for help.
William Souders was going by this
house, and be summoned Constable
Hurrell They went into the house
and found the body Of Mrs. Bowker
Petit was leaning against the bed and
was breathing.
DR.. Dix and Or. Douglass we're sum
moned. They said that Petit was NOR
tally wounded and that he should be
rauavad IN a hoapffa1