Evening star., 1915-01-11
MURDER TWO MEN
AND SHOOT WOMAN
Burglars Enact Tragedy in
Home of Mrs. M. A. Hughes
Near Fort Myer.
Unidentified White men
PERPETRATORS OF CRIME
Nicholas Cofinas, Greek, and Isaac
Waldrop Dead-Mrs. Hughes
in Hospital.

Two men were killed and a woman
was seriously wounded at the home of
Mrs. Matte A. Hughes, one-half mile
south of Clark station, Va, on the
Falls Church division of the Washing
ton and Virginia railway and a short
distance from Fort Myer, at an early
hour yesterday morning.
The dead men are Isaac Waldrop, sew
enty-six years old, father of Mrs.
Hughes, and Nicholas Coffinas. a Greek.
Both were instantly killed. while Mrs.
Hughes was left unconscious from
blows, kicks and bullet wound in her
breast She is at Sibley Hospital in a
critical condition.
It is believed a dozen shots were fired
by two white men, neither identified,
six bullets having entered the bodies
Of the three victims and as many more
having been found in the walls.
Partial Description of Burglars.
The burglars, it is claimed, were in a
drunken condition. having taken pos
session of some liquor brought home
by Mr.. Waldrop. According to the de-
scription given by Mrs. Hughes. one of
the men was short and stout. He was
apparently about thirty-five years old.
had a growth of beard and wore a cap,
a dark suit, short overcoat and heavy
shoes. His companion was described as
being taller. He also wore cap and
dark suit.
Nicholas Coffinas, who with his wife
resided at 920 New York avenue north
west. accompanied Mrs Hughes to her
home late Saturday night, going from
syfvania avenue and 18th street north
west. in an automobile operated by H.
]. Coleman.
Coleman was invited into the house
to take a drink. he said, and had he
accepted the invitation he probably
would have shared the fate of the vic
tins Of the burglars. He is total
abstainer. however. and the result is
that he is alive and unharmed.
Hears No Pistol Shots.
1t is BELIEVED that the tragedy was
enacted while Coleman's car was with
in few yards of the house, but he is
slightly deaf, and the noise of the auto
mobile, it is supposed. prevented him
from hearing the reports Of the pistol
shots. When Mrs. Hughes and Cof-
finas left the car the man asked the
amount of the bill, which was SO. It
was the intention of Coffinas to return
in the automobile, but when the chauf-
feur told him that he would have to
pay for the return trip he remarked:
II guess I'll remain here all night"
Coleman found It necessary to run
his automobile two or three hundred
yards down the road in order to make
a turn, and, it is stated, 1t was while he
was making this short run that the
shooting occurred.
Il saw two men running toward Fort
Myer," said Coleman. while l was re-
turning toward the city, but saw moth :
ing else that might have suggested
there was anything wrong"
Mrs Hughes. who was known in the
red light" section In this city as
frankie Harris, came to the city Sat-
urday afternoon with her father, and
did some shopping. two bottles of wine
and a bottle of whisky being among
her purchases Her father went home
| long before she was ready to return.
| taking the purchases with him, and
after the shooting the empty wine bot
ties were found in the house, while the
whisky bottle. with the neck broken
off, was found in front of the house.
Purse and Diamonds Missing.
A silver mesh bag belonging to Mrs.
Hughes was missing. and her diamond
earrings had disappeared from her
ears. Mrs. Hughes gloves hid the sew
eral diamond rings she wore.
| grip in the house was found to
| contain articles of wearing apparel
! and toilet articles that the burglars
, had prepared to take away, and more
| than 81, 900 worth of silverware had not
been touched Bureau drawers, chif-
| fonier drawers and drawers in the buff
| fet had been broken open, and search
| had been made in practically every
room of the two-story structure with
the exception of the hall room in
which Mrs. Hughes father slept. Mrs
Hughes revolver was not in the house
and the police were told that she 81 :
it to her son, a resident of this city
| some time ago.
| 1t was before / o'clock when Mrs