Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-07-02
TRAGEDY AND TROUBLE,
Three Persons Implicated In the Death
of a Hagerstown Girl.
The WAGES Of sin IS death. /"


Of the death of Alma Mumma, Hagers-
town girl, which occurred at Harpers
Ferry on Wednesday under suspicious
circumstances. There were startling de-
velopments on Thursday at the coroner's
inquest conducted by Justice Charles H.
Briggs in Hsrper's Ferry, when Stuart L.
Hoffman. the young man implicated 10
the trouble, made full confession OF the
affair. After the death of the girl, learn
ing of the suspicious circumstances. JUS
tice Briggs took charge OF the case and
held an inquest. Those on the coroner's
jury were N. S. J. Strider, w. A. Walsh,
Patrick Winston, c. B. Wentzell, Lewis
Beck and George H. Child. States At
torneY Geo. D. Moore, OF Charles Town,
was present and conducted the examina-
tion.
Young Hoffman, who formerly lived
in Charles Town, was the first witness
called. He said that he wanted to tell
the facts about the case. 81 do not care
what you do with me-" he declared, al
am going TO tellth truth" He then gave
a clear and connected story of the affair.
He had been living in HagerStown and
was employed on the Western Maryland
Railroad. He became friendly with Miss
Mumma, who was 10 years old. Hoif-
man stated that on June lst he went 10
HalItown and saw DR.. w. E. Perry.
Telling him OF the girls condition, he
asked the physician if he would perform
an operation. DR.. Perry, he said. agreed
to do so for $25. On June 18th Hoffman
and the girl went to Harper's Ferry, and
next day he again went 10 see DR.. Perry,
who said that he could not perform the
operation at his own house, but gave
Hoffman letter to Mrs. Harry Rocken-
baugh, who lhereupon took them in.
The same evening, Hoffman testified,
DR.. Perry came 10 the house, and, as
sisted by Mrs. Rockenbaugh, performed
the operation. The girl became very i'll.
Tuesday night her condition grew so Sc
riouS that Drs Hodges and Phillips were
called in, but death was already at the
door and she died early Wednesday
morning. Though young Hoffman spoke
calmly and clearly in giving his testimony,
he was very much disturbed over the
death OF the girl. He said that he had
wanted to marry her, but she would not
agree.
An autopsy had been performed upon
the body of the girl by Drs. c. L. Skinner
and F. M. Phillips. OF Charles Town, and
DIR. Howard Hodges, OF Harper'S Ferry.
They testified that the post mortem show
ed that death was caused by peritonitis,
resulting from criminal operation.
Harry Butts, cab driver from Harper S
Ferry, testified that Hoffman had hired a
team from him to drive TO DR.. Perry'S, at
Halltown.
After hearing the evidence, the coro-
ner'S Jury returned verdict 10 the effect
that Alma Mumma had come TO her death
as the result OF criminal operation per-
formed by DR.. w. E. Perry, and that S.
L. Holman and Mrs. Hester Rocker
baugh were accessories. Warrants were
sworn out for the arrest OF the three per-
sons named, and they were taken into
custody. DR.. Perry and young Hoffman
were taken TO the county jail at Charles
Town, and Mrs. Rockenbaugh was lock-
ed up in the jail at Harper's Ferry.
DR.. Perry, who has beer practicing
physician for many years, is well known
in Jefferson county. He was in trouble
some years ago, when he was accused
by young woman OF having assaulted
her in his office. He was in Jail for a
long time, but was not convicted and was
finally released. Hoffman, who is about
twenty years Of age, used TO live in
Charles Town. He was also known as
Stuart Golliday, having been adopted at
an early age by family of that name. II
is said that the authorities are in posses
sion OF correspondence between Hoffman
and DR.. Perry, which is damaging to
both, as the letters relate 10 the criminal
operation that had been planned. Two
brothers OF the unfortunate girl were in
Harper's Ferry at the inquest. The same
evening they took The body TO Hagers-
town, where it was inferred on Friday.
Her fatheris Albert s. Mumma.
Attorney Frank L. Bushong, OF Charles
Town, has been retained to defend DR..
Perry and Mrs Rockenbaugh, while COL
Forrest w. Brown has been employed
by the State TO assist Prosecuting Attor-
ney George D. Moore. A preliminary
hearing was to have been held on Tues
day, but was deferred for few days. II
will be held when asked for by the ac-
cused persons.
Mrs. Rockenbaugh was removed from
the lookup at Harper's Ferry TO the
county jail at Charles Town on Saturday.
q