The sun., 1917-07-16
THREE SLAIN
FROM BEHIND;
FRIEND HELD
Pennsylvania Coal Manager,
Wife and Son Shot by
Assassins.
STOPPED TO REPAIR TIRE
Treasurer Of Concern, Only
Other Occupant of Car, Tells
Of Three Masked Men.

CARRoLLTowN, Pa, July 15.--Supposed
to have been held up by three masked
men while repairing a punctured tire on
the Carrolltown Fair Grounds, three
miles east OF here this morning, Ed
mund l. Humphrles, general manager Of
the Newborn Coal Company Of Carroll
town. his wife and their ffteen-year-
old son, Edmund /. Humphries, Jr., were
shot and killed. George c. Tompkins of
Philadelphia, treasurer Of the Newborn
Coal Company, a wealthy coal operator,
witnessed the shooting. More than 100
armed citizens of Carrolltown began a
man hunt.
After an investigation Tompkins
was placed under arrest. Following an
inquest by the Coroner the Jury recon-
mended that Tompkins be held, and he
was committed to the county Jail at
Ebensburg.
story TOmpkins Tells.
According to Tompkins's statement, he
and Humphrles. with the latter's wife
and son, left the Humphries home at
o'clock this morning in Humphries's
automobile. intending to motor to Phila-
delphia. They had n blowout and he
and HUMPHREYS removed the tire to re-
pair It,. Tompkins testified that they
were busy repairing the tire when three
men suddenly walked from behind some
bushes sixty feet away and commanded
them to throw up their hands.
THE three men were masked and
each held a revolver in his right hand"
Tompkins told the Coroner's jury. "One
of the men, apparently the leader,
ordered Mrs. Humphries and her son to
get out of the automobile. When they
stepped from the machine the three men
began firing and Mrs. Humphries and
the boy fell. l started to run and
Humphries followed me. I had gone
less than fifty feet when tripped over
stone and fell. I did not move as I
lay 'on the ground and the three men
passed me-
About 100 yards from the spot where
Mrs. Humphries and her son had fallen.
Tompkins said, Humphries fell dead.
Story Is Contradictory.
TompkIns contradicted himself in an
other version of the tragedy. In this
he said when the :nree masked men
stepped from a grain field along the
road and pointed revolvers at the party
Mrs. Humphries stepped screaming from
the automobile and WAS shot by one OF
the men. The elder Humphries leaped
from the car and started to run. See
ing that the men were not pursuing him
Humphries returned and placed the body
OF his wife In the automobile. The
hiHhwaymen then began firing again.
Torlpkins until that :ime had remained
crouched in the tonneau OF the machine.
This Is contradictory OF his earlier
statement. The next time he looked up.
he said, he saw HumT'hries running, with
one OF the men pursuing him. All the
shots we're fired, according to Tompkins,
dIota Of
After the assassins had disappeared
in the woods, according TO Tompkins, he
placed the bodies of Mrs. Humphrles and
her son In the automobile and drove to
the home Of DR.. Z. +. Able in Carroll
town, where he related his story.
Bullets Fired at Close Range.
Miners passing near the scene of the
shooting heard the shots and sounded
an alarm. Searching parties and posses
were sent out from Carrolltown. The
body Of the elder Humphries was found
In a field several hundred yards from
the car. The body of the son was found
near the automobile
The searchers say they found no trace
OF bandits. Tompkins first related his
story OF the attack to DR.. L. F. Arble Of
Carrolltown, a cousin OF Humphries and
connected with Humphries and Tomp-
kins in the coal company.
Sheriff W. +. Mulhollen and county
detectives after hearing the version OF
the attack as told by Tompklns, which
they assert contains conflicting state
ments, abandoned the search for the al
legged highwaymen.
The bodies were examined by Coroner
C. A. Fitzgerald and 1t is said 1t was
found that the shots had been fired from
behind and at close range. contrary to
Tompkins's statements. The Coroner
ordered an inquest to be held at once and
the jury ordered Tompkins be held as a
witness. He was committed to the
county Jail at Ebensburg.