The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-06-09
SAN JOSE TRAGEDY;
] CAUSE BEGAN HERE
Roy Asselin, Formerly Of Homo
lulu, Shoots Woman and
~ " Kills Himself

i The last coast mails brought news, of
tragedy in California which seems Ia
have had its beginning in love affair
in Honolulu. In San jose on the
twenty seventh OF last month Row As
seiin, who lived here up 70 about two
years ago, shot and almost mortally
wounded Mrs. Henrietta Long, and
then shot himself. He died soon after
arriving at q hospital, but the woman
probably viii live. .s.k% -
Asselin came here about four years
ago, and was employed by Z. X. Bath
as a plumber. That he had love af-
fair Of serious nature was wen known
to his associates while he was here.
The young woman whom he was,napa
parently counting may or may not be
the Mrs. Long whom he shot in San
Jose, but those who knew him here
think that the tragedy is n continue
tion of the troubles he. had here.
Cablegram Calls Asselin
Asselin's inamorata went to the
Coast in 1913. Shortly after she left
be got q cablegram from her, as he
stated, and he left ut once for the
Coast. He came back by return steam.
er, saying that things, were all right,
and, his acquaintances assumed that a
Quarrel had been healed by his visit TO
San Francisco. He worked here again
Tor a time and then left for the Coast,
in the fall Of 1913. r. ...
= The San Jose Mercury has the fol-
lowing account of the tragedy, which
occurred;
Following a quarrel in front Of q
Market-street dance hall, Roy Asselin,
aged twenty-eight, member Of prom.
inent family of this city, shot and
seriously wounded Mrs. Henrietta
Long, twenty-four, Of l045 Harrison
street, San Francisco, and then fatally
wounded himself. He died a few
minutes later at the emergency hos
pital.
According to the young woman g
statement at the Columbia hospital,
whore she was taken for treatment,
Asselin had been drinking and she had
then refused to dance with him. -
Shoots Victim At Dance ...,
According to the story of wit
nesses, Asselin had attended the dance
but sat around all evening with NOR
ose expression on his face. Mrs. Long
left the dance shortly after midnight
with an unidentified man, who is de-
scribed as being short and stout. At
the foot of the stairs the couple were
aceosted by Asselin, who hit the I'M
identified man on the nose with his
fist and then seized Mrs. Long by
the arm. They had an argument
which attracted the attention Of pass
ersby. Asselin then drew a pistol and
shot Mrs. Long under the arm. She
staggered and fell into the arms of M.
Springer, manager of a local publica-
tion known as The Main Event, who
an amateur p6gflist. - Asselif Walked
alonga couple Of steps, then shot him
self in the region Of the heart He
walked Q few steps further, then shot
himself again, this time through the
heart. Policeman Kelly ran up at this
moment; covered Asselin with his pis.
tOl and at the same time knocked the
pistol out of the man 8 hand with a
club. Lying PROSTATE on the pave
ment, Asselin remarked that the police
man might as well leave him alone as
he was already dead. In spite of the
fact he was shot through the heart,
Asselin lived until he reached the
emergency hospital and was still alive
when DR.. Van Dalsem arrived to at
tend him. Il never saw case like
1t, stated the doctor. l don I see how
the man could have fired the seeoDd
shot into himself after receiving a
wound like the first one
All Happened Quickly
"Springer, who caught Mrs. Long
in his arms stated that she cried ont
that she was shot, when Assein fred
the first time. Take care of me-
please she said, as she fell into his
arms, Springer thought for a moment
that Asselin was going to fire again at
the woman; but the would-be slayer
walked away and then shot himself.
1t all happened so suddenly that
neither Springer nor Taylor realized
for several moments that they had
witnessed tragedy. AS the second
and third shots rang out the wounded
woman asked Springer. Did he kill
himaalfHj -