Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-03-02
WOMAN IS KILLED
AND man DYING
Double Tragedy StartIes Cape
May Court House.
CHILDREN SEE STRUGGLE
Jealous Bcarder Shoots Lardlady to
Death and Fatally Wounds Him


self.
Jealous OF the attentions that Mrs.
Catherine Bowker Is alleged 10 have
shown toward man who had former.
~ boarded In the Bowker home at
Cape May Court House. ~ j.. Joseph
Petit. who lived in the same house.
shot The woman and then attemp. ed
To kin himself
Petit seized Mrs. Bowker and. as
he 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 iloor.
Petit dropped In the bedroom, and
when neighbors reached the house he
Was unconscious. lie was removed to
a hospital The physicians said tina;
he would probably die The tragedy
was witnessed by boy and a girl.
who also live ia 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
there since According to the county
authorities, he became attentive ia
Mrs Bowker. but friends Of the wO.
man said thar he misconsirued her
friendship.
\ few weeks ago another man.
known as Bert. was taken into the
house by Bowker as a boarder. Pet.
tit became jealous OF him the iits;
time he saw him speak With Mrs.
Bowker He is alleged TO have told
her that she had no right 10 become
interested in any one but himself
Ber, seemed to like Mrs. Bowker.
and quarrels resulted between him ana
Petit. Mrs Bowker told them not 10
be silly. that she was not Interested
in either. and that il her husband
learned Of the quarrels he would order
both from the house
Bert disappeared few days ago.
No one can be found who knows
where ne went. but he told friend
that he was going away for the sake
of peace IN the Bowker home. Mrs.
Bowker became angry when she heard
this and demonstrated with Petit and
told him that he had no right 10 offend
Bert TO such an extent
Petit Is said 10 have retOrted that
If Mrs. Bowkcr would not have him
he would see to Il that she did not
get Beit. She iaughied. and that. IL
Is believed. aroused the jealousy OF
Petit.
Mrs Bowkcr went into her bedroom
and closed The door. Petit followed
her and apparently forced entrance tn
the room. where another quarrel l.
said 10 have occurred
4 hoy named Parsons. who lives IN
the house as an adopted son. heard
Mrs Bowker scream murder He ran
up the stairs. and through The door.
way saw Petit seize Mrs. Bowker He
told the authorities that he saw him
draw revolver from his pocket and
point II Al the woman.
SISTER VI fdtSDn~ hetHiht iIt-ht
ened al the connection and clung 10
the BOY They both looked into tho
room and saw. they say, Petit shoot.
Mrs Bowker screamed Petit fred
again and again. aud two bullets miss
ed the head 81 the woman aud EN-
beddea themselves IN window sash
Mrs Rowker managed to break from
his grasp She staggered into the
hall. and then Petit fired Two bullets
into his head Mrs Bowker fell against
the wall cutting her head The next
instant she fell to The noar- dead The
boy and his sister ran RON the house
shouting lrf help
William Souders was going by The
house. and he summoned Constable
Hurrell Fhey Went into the house
and found the body Of Mrs Bowker
Petit was leaning against the bed and
was breathing
Or Dix and Dr Douglass We're sum
moned They said that Petit was NOR
tally wounded and that he should he
removed 10 q hospital.