Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-16
COAL OPERATOR IS
HELD AS MURDERER
G. K. Tompkins, Jr., Charged
With Shooting Family Near
JohnstoWn, Pa.
MAN, WIFE AND SON SHOT

By the Associated Press.
| JOHNSTOWN. Pa, July 16.--Georse
X. Tompkins. jr.. a Philadelphia coal
operator, arrested in connection with
the mysterious deaths by shooting OF
Edward HUMPHREYS. his wife and son.
yesterday on a country road near here
was charged formally with murder be-
fore a justice of the peace today, and
| is locked I'D in the Cambria county
| Jail.
The charge was made by county de-
tective, and Tompkins Immediately declared
his innocence. Tompkins on his way to
Jail declared that he had forgotten rev
details in the statement he made yester-
day and he was given opportunity to make
another statement in secret, the purport
of which the authorities refuse to dis
close.
A letter In the hands of the detectives
is said to have a bearing on the case, put
contents. The letter is said to have been
written by Tompkins' wife.
Slain on Country Road.
Edward HUMPHREYS. coal operator
and mine superintendent. formerly OF
Philadelphia. his wife and son. Edward
HUMPHREYS jr., were shot to death on
The HUMPHREYS family were part OF an
automobile party with George 4: Temp
kins, jr.. of Philadelphia Tompkins took
the bodies of Mrs. HUMPHREYS and the
son to CaIrolltown, near here. and told
officers that the party was held up by
masked men. The body Of the elder
HUMPHREYS was found later several hun
bred yards from the scene of the hold-up.
To clear the mystery surrounding the
shooting was the task taken today by
District Attorney D. P. Weinler and other
county authorities The greatest factor
in the solution of the murder mystery,
authorities said today. is Tompkns, who
is being held at the county Jail at Ebens-
burg at the request Of a coroner's jury.
Tompkns and HUMPHREYS were associated
together in coal company formed about
six weeks ago.
Driver of Machine Held.
The three members of the Humphries
family were held up and shot by three
| masked highwaymen. according to the
story told to Sheriff w E. Mulhollen
yesterday, by Tompkins. reiterated by the
explanation Of the triple murder, posses
secured the country near the scene OF the
shooting for hours yesterday. but gave up
the search for the alleged bandits when
it was announced by Sheriff Mulhollen
that statements made by Tompkins were
at variance with facts brought out at the
inquest held by Coroner c. A. Fitzgerald.
According to the story told Dy Iomp-
kins, the highwaymen surprised the
party while a punctured tire was being
repaired, and the shots which caused
the deaths of the HUMPHREYS were fired
at distance of seventy feet in front OF
the automobile. After examining the
bodies Coroner Fitzgerald announced
that all the bullets were fired at close
range. powder burns being found on
two of the bodies and that the shots
were fired from behind.
Another question to be put to Tomp-
kins today was in regard to several
cuts on his head and chest, which, ac-
cording to the coroner, were caused by
a blunt instrument. Tompkins, In his
statement to the sheriff, said he es-
capped death at the hands of the BAN
dts by crouching in the tonneau of the
automobile and later dropping to the
ground as If shot.
PHILADELPHIA, July 16.- Hum.
phries and Tompkins formerly were
connected in an official capacity with
an automobile concern in this CITY,
Several months ago the two men, to-
gether with ]. K. Newborn of Lansdale.
Pa, formed the Newborn Coal Com
pany at Carrol1town, and HUMPHREYS
moved his family to that place. Tomp-
kins, who is about thirty-eight years
old and has a wife and ten-year-old
son. continued his residence in this
city.