The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-24
His Wife Dying From Bull
let Wounds Fired at Her
in Jealousy - Prompted
Quarrel, Thomas Corn
forth, Ellis Himself With
Same Revolver.
Runs to Home of Acquaint-
ances, Pursued by Detec-
tives, But Cannot Gain
Admittance - Boy Finds
Would Be Murderer's
Body in Field.

Relentlessly hunted by detec~
tives from midnight, when he
shot and probably fatally
wounded his wife, until dawn
this morning, Thomas Corn
forth, 38 years of age, wedged
his way between two huge tele-
graph wire spools, which stood
in the vacant lot at Norman
street and Maplewood avenue
and sent a bullet through his
brain, from the same gun
which he used in his attemp4 10
kill his wife. He died =
stantly.
The body was discovered at o'clock
this morning by Guy C.Hunt, school,
boy, living at 1855 Iranistan avenue.
The boy was walking on the sidewalk.
AS he passed the spools, which stood
only a few feet from the walk in tla
field, he observed the body III a Enee!-
ing posture, head sunk on the chest,
the gun close to Cornforth's lifeie55
hand.
The police Of the third precinct sta-
ton with Detective Bray went to the
scene they found that Cornforth
had shot himself in the 1eftt temple
with a .32 calibre gut After Medical
Examiner GarlicA was notified the
body was taken to the morgue.
Last night abou. o'clock Corn
forth, who was exceedingly jealous>of
his wife and very unpopular with
members of his own sex returned home
from his work at the Remington Arms
Co., where he was employed as a
filer. The couple, with their five-year-
old daughter, occupied a room in the
home Of City Sheriff Gail Rising, az
944 Iranistan avenue.
After five years separation, a re-
conciliation was effected two weeks
ago and the couple hired the room
for light housekeeping. Cornforth
has been drinking and he taunted his
wife about other men. While living
apart from him she, had been sup
porting her daughter by working as
a waitress in the Glove restaurant,
in Fairfield avenue, opposite police
headquarters. He twitted her about
her relations with male patrons of
the place.
She ordered him out Of the house
and he left evidently visiting a num-
ber Of barrooms during the night.
About midnight Cornforth returned
to the room. Mrs E. Lahr, who lives
at State and Norman streets, friend
of Mrs Cornforth, was talking to his
wife when he entered the house.
Cornforth drew from his coat pock-
ct a bottle of whiskey and demanded:
sTake a drink Of this"
She refused and the husband tried
forcibly to place the bottle to her
lips. His efforts Intellectual, he push
ed her violently against the wall, re-
placed the liquor bottles in his pocket
and said:
Make me a cup OF coffee ana oe
quick about it,
The wife went to obtain her rain
coat which hung in tho room, intend
ing to leave the house and go to the
home Of Mrs. Lahr. Cornforth, in
censed by her action, struck a blow
with his fist that knocked her into g.
small space between a. bureau in
corner of. the room and the wall.
She fell to her knees and fearing he
was about to punch her again, cow
cred close to the floor and raised her
hands and arms about her head to
protect herself. Mrs. Lahr, panic
fed from the room for help.
further ado. Cornforth drew
4 .92 calible revolver from his pocket
and opened fire at his crouching,
cringing wife.
The first bullet struck her in the
elbow of the left arm. shattering the
bone. The second inlbedded itself in
he wall Of the room. The third, what
nay be the fatal wound, entered her
stomach and lodged there. His anger
Cornforth fired two more
shots, all of which went 'vild as his
bleeding wife staggered to her feet
and out of the room to escape further
injury. E
The suicide then placed the re-
volver to his own head and pulled the
trigger three times, his wife asserting
she saw him and heard the clicks of
the trigger. The gun was empty and
Cornforth rushed from the room out
the back door Of the house. After
climbing several fences he reached an
alley which leads into State street.
Crossing State street. Cornforth fled
& do'7-'' Seeley street. colliding with and
- down Mrs. William G. Minty
ay street. a sister of Police
y. ry Howell: He was then
tral " Detectives to a boarding
house conducted by Mrs. Charles A.
Towe at 1900 Iranistan avenue.
The volley of shots threw the whole
into state of intense
excitement. George T. Mccarthy, q
mason living at 929 Iranistan avenuA
Continued on PsAAA