Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-14
Pistol Duel Between Romie N.
Stevens and R. L. Thomas.
ONE DEAD, OTHER WOUNDED
Mrs. Stevens Shot by Husband and
Badly Injured.
RESULT OF DOMESTIC STRIFE
Jealous Man Undertakes to Wreak
Vengeance-Opens Fire ON
Wife and Boarder.

| The death of one man and serious in
| Jury to two other persons was the net
! result of "a shooting affray last evening
| at Takoma Park, d. c. Romie Nelson
Stevens. aged forty-siX, a carpenter by
| trade. was shot dead by Robert l."
| Thomas while in the kitchen of Stevens
| home, 33 Cedar street but not until
| Thomas had received bullet in his face
| and Mrs. Stevens had been shot down
| while attempting to escape from the
| range of her husbands revolver.
| Coroner hewitt will hold an inquest at
| the morgue tomorrow morning at 11:3O
| o'clock.
According to the best reports obtaina-
| BILE, the shooting occurred between $50
| and 6 o'clock last evening, while Mrs
| Stevens. who conducts boarding house,
was preparing supper After the smoke
had cleared away Mr.. Stevens body lay
| wounded persons were conveyed to Gar
| field Hospital for treatment. In the
| kitchen at the time of the shooting were
Mr.. and Mrs. Stevens. Robert Thomas
| and Miss Ivy +. Coleman, niece OF Mrs.
| Stevens. In the dining room awaiting
! their supper were Leroy Stevens. nine
| teen years old. son of Mr.. and Mrs.
| Stevens: John Lewis. George D. f. Stad-
| house is two-story frame structure sit
uated on the south side of Cedar street
| and the rooms are comparatively small
The room in which the shooting occur
red was quite small, and less than ten
feet separated the two men while the
bullets were flying. There is narrow
passageWay between the dining room and
the kitchen, and it is claimed that Ste
vens started the shooting when he step
ped back from the kitchen into this
passageway. He blocked the passage so
that there was no chance for escape for
those in the kitchen. Stevens. being a
man of large frame, Obscured the view
of those in the dining room, the conse-
quence being there were no eyewitnesses
to the tragedy except the participants
and Miss Coleman. Leroy Stevens stated
last night that there was no reason why
his father should attempt to kill Miss
Coleman, Leroys cousin, and for that
reason he supposed her life was spared.
although she was said to be in danger
from the flying bullets. After the shoot
ing began Miss Coleman sought shelter
with Mrs. Stevens in the pantry.
Domestic Trouble Precedes Shooting.
While no definite reason was given for
the shooting, it was said last night that
Stevens had often warned Thomas to
leave his home. Stevens followed this up,
it is said, by remarking one day recently
to HIS wife that Thomas must leave his
house. She is said to have replied mo
and that If anybody Is to leave, he Cher
huSband1 must leave.
Stevens was employed up to week ago
as Waterman at the publishing houses
of the Review and Herald, owned by the
Seventh-Day Adventists, who have their
main headquarters in Takoma Park. AL
though employed by the <Seyenth-Day Ad-
ventists. he was not member of that
denomination, according to a statement
made by his son last night. He resigned
=; nh Dat, ,iypSv
home last night from Baltimore, where
he went in search of work, he found
Thomas in the kitchen of his home, where
Mrs. Stevens was preparing supper for
her bOarderS
1t is stated the relations between Ste
vens, his wife and Thomas had been
strained. The husband believed that the
boarder was too friendly with his wife.
Stevens is said to have made threats re-
Gently against both his wife and Thomas,
but Sunday announced that he had come
to the conclusion there was no foundation
for his suspicious and no longer held ILL
feeling against Thomas.
Robert Thomas or Bob, as he is more
Familiarity known in that suburb came
to Washington several years ago and was
for two years student of the Bliss
Electrical School at North Takoma. Md.
He had been engaged in the electrical
business since leaving that institution
and had several contracts for Work in
Takoma Park. He is the son of a
wealthy North Car0linfan. whose ances-
tors founded the town, Of Thomasville He
has two brothers and two sisters residing
in North Carolina.
After having his wounds dressed at
Garfield Hospital Thomas was locked up
at the tenth precinct station house to
await the action of the coroner's jury.
! Mrs. Stevens is said to he in critical
condition at Garfield Hospital, but the
physicians say she may recover.
Leroy Stevens Statement.
According to Leroy Stevens, son of the
| murdered man, in an interview with a
| Star reporter shortly after the tragedy
was enacted, d. F. Stadman, boarder.
was reading a newspaper. When he
heard the shots he dropped the paper and
looking into the passageway saw Mr..
Stevens. Price. another boarder, was
waiting for supper to be served. Young
| Stevens says he heard six shots fired.
three from each revolver. He said he
thought his father fired first at his moth
| err and then turned the revolver on
Thomas, only one shot hitting him.
| Thomas fell to the floor and whipping
out his revolver, fired at his father sew
eral times. Every bullet, he thinks. hit
| his father.in the head. Stevens dropped,
he said, and his mother ran out of the
| kitchen into the dining room, while
Thomas and Miss Coleman ran to other
| parts of the house. then out of doors.
|
| Leroy stated. the shooting was over He
| found his father lying on the floor, and
bending over his body felt his pulse to see
if he was dead. He loosened his tie and
vest and sent for DR.. George b. Heinecke,
who responded in his automobile. The
physician found Mr.. Stevens dead, and
then cared for Mrs Stevens, sending her
to Garfield Hospital.
| Young Stevens said that when his ia
Their went TO Baltimore i'm search of work
he stopped with his sister who resides
| there. He came back to Takoma Park
Saturday. but returned to Baltimore
Sunday morning. After spending Sunday
night and Monday in Baltimore. his IA
Their took the train and arrived at Ia
koma Park last evening he thought
| about 800 or 4 o'clock
| Leroy stated that his father was about
| forty-six years old and was born i'm Rock
hall. Kent county. Maryland. His mother
who was also born there, was about
thirty four years of age. His parents
were married in Rockhall, coming to Ia
koma Park about two years ago They