Evening star., 1914-10-11
WOMAN DIES IN MOTOR
CAR GOING TO HOSPITAL
Policemen Seize Assailant as Men
Grapple in Crowded Street
for Pistol.
PRISONER FREELY CoNFEssEs
Declares That He Prefers Death
Rather Than to Live as He
Had for the Last Seven
Months.

Jealous. and driven to drink because
he believed his wife was too much in
the company of Frank Fl. Cottier, a
lawyer, Simeon G. Gowdn, a chauffeur.
last night at 5th and F streets north
west. snot and killed ler and then.
turning the gun on Coetier, shot the
attorney in the leg. Cottier and Cow
an were struggling for the possession
of the weapon used by the latter when
Policemen J. I. Thompson and w. H.
Lambert of the first precinct and BIZ
cycle Policeman Rock of the sixth pre-
cinct separated them.
.Gowan gave his age as thirty-three
years. The police say he admitted hav-
ing fired the shots with the intention
of killing both his wife and her law
yer, although he declared the shooting
was not premeditated.
81 was passing along F street and
had the pistol in my pocket" he is said
to have told the police. "and when
saw my wife and the lawyer come from
the building in which he has an Office
I pulled my pistol and started shoot
ing"
Thought Cottier Was Dead.
The prisoner said he thought he had
killed Cottier, and he then turned the
pistol in the direction of his wife. Two
bullets struck her, 1t is stated, one
passing through her left arm and the
other entering her left side. She was
dead when she reached Emergency
Hospital in an automobile belonging to
Jules Henderson.
Cottier. suffering from a bullet wound
In: hts leg, ran from lin. front OF his
once ct sl2 E street to Burwelrs cigar
stofs, On the opposite side OF the street.
fGeNaAn followed him. 1t was near the
enhance to the store that they were
graphing for possession Of the pistol
when the police reached them.
Policemen Lambert and Thompson
were on a street car. They heard two
stated, and Lambert says he saw Cow
an, standing over his wife. fire one
shot.
The affair caused great excitement in
the vicinity Of 5th and F streets, where
scores of pedestrians scattered pre-
cipitately when they realized what was
happening.
Cottier was taken to Casualty Hos
pital in an automobile shortly after the
shooting occurred. He was examined
under the X-ray and the bullet was
located in the leg above the knee.
Physicians suggested that its removal
would De g. simple OpefdtloA, ntzhugh,
the bone was shattered.
Tried to Kill Cottier.
Gowan, in conversation with Detective
Armstrong and the police Of the first
precinct, declared he fred the shots
with the intention of killing Cottier and
his wife. During the past two weeks. he
stated, he had Rartaken freely Of in
toxicants, and complained Of being too
~ "
examination.
Declaring he fully understood his legal
rights, the prisoner told Lieut.. Sprinkle,
Sergt. Lee and Precinct Detective Simp-
son the story Of his troubles. He appre-
ciated the fact that what he said might
be used against him, he stated.
What difference does 1t maker he
asked II would just as soon be in hell
the past seven months:
A physician from Emergency Hos.
pital visited the station and prescribed
Resuming his story. Gowan stated that
he was married seven years ago, and
that he had been separated from his
wife the past seven months; he had
northwest prior to going to Richmond.
Va, from where he returned Thursday
afternoon; when he returned he rented q
room at I'd and E streets northwest.
Was Hailed Into Court.
Some time ago, Gowan told the po-
lice. he was employed on the Eleventh
street car line. His wife had him ar
support charge. he stated, and the
court paroled him. requiring him to
contribute to her support. Cottier, he
said, was his wife's counsel.
Gowan stated that he had been at
h,,% I,So n.,,R
with him.
LAWYER tonight" said Lieut.. Sprinkle,
did you speak to them?"
"I said nothing at ALL" he answered.
Did you try to shoot him?" the Of
ficer asked.
Il think I did try to shoot him." he
I missed him 1t was not my fault" he
added II certainly tried to kill him."
Gowan told the police his life had
been miserable during the past three
all that he was able to stand.
Last night was the first time I had
seen her since my return from Rich
mond," he declared.
chased the weapon for the purpose Of
killing his wife, and he responded that
| he did not. He had had the weapon in
, his possession for long time. he said.
but refused to tell where he got it,
Sheriff George w. Hardy Of Prince
Georges county. Nd, was near the
scene Of the shooting. in his automo-
bile. He witnessed part of the AFFAIR, 1t
is stated, as did William Dean, his
chauffeur, and they willingly assisted
| the police. They took Gowan and Po-
licemen Thompson and Lambert to the
first precinct police station.
At the hospital Cottier made a state
ment in which he denied assertions Of
the prisoner. Mrs. Gowan, he stated,
stated that one day this week Mrs.
Gowan procdred a warrant for her hus-
band for failure to support her, and
last night he saw her passing east on
place Of employment, and he walked
! CONTINUED on Second, Page.)