Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-21
FATHER KILLS
SON and ENDS
his 0WN.L|FE
Double Tragedy Sequel to
Wife's Refusal to With
draw Suit for
Divorce.


his son, Joe Drohas, jr., and then
sent a bullet crashing into his own
head.
Drohas died an hour later in St.
Joseph's hospital.
The tragedy occurred on the side
walk in from of the home of August
Book, 5723 South Fifteenth street.
Three shots were fired, according to
residents of the neighborhood. The
boy was shot in the left eye and the
bullet emerged in the back of the
head.
One Shot Missed.
Drohas was shot above the right
eye just below the roots of the hair.
The bullet came out the top of the
head about an inch and half from
where it entered. 1t is believed one
shot missed.
Despite the fact that there we're
no powder marks on the elder mans
head, the police advance the theory
the weapon was held in Drohas'
hand as he pressed it against his
head and fired after numbering his
son.
The boys face and forehead were
powder burned.
Bodies on Sidewalk.
Both bodies were PROSTATE on the
sidewalk when the South Side police
patrol arrived on the scene. The
elder man was clutching a revolver
in his right hand. Face downward,
the boy was lying a few feet distant.
Drohas and his wife, Mrs. Kate
Drohas, are known to have had
number of disagreements recently.
The woman left her home. 5l26
South Thirty avenue, Tues
day morning and announced she was
going to live with her daughter, Mrs
Elsie Smolik, 1512 Berry avenue.
Drohas is alleged to have made a
half dozen visits to his daughters
house during the day. He was IN
successful in trying to prevail on his
wife to withdraw her suit for di-
vorce.
Meet in Picture Show.
Tuesday night the mother and
daughter were seated in South Side
moving picture theater when Drohas
entered The man approached his
wife and asked her if she had seen
her attorney and instructed him to
withdraw her action against him. He
was told she had not and the women
left the theater and went to the Ber-
ry avenue residence.
Drohas appeared at the home at
$50, gave his little granddaughter
Is cents and told her to go out and
buy some candy. Immediately he is
said to have begun an argument with
his son-in-law, George Smolik. Joe
Drohas. jr.. who also was present,
his mother and sister attempted to
prevail on the man to quiet him
self.
Threatened to Kill All.
He is said to have flashed his re-
volver and the occupants of the
house fed to the house Ola neigh
Dor, followed by the distracted hus-
band and father, who threatened to
kill all of them. The younger
Drohas returned to his father and
tried to get him to go to his home
and let his mother alone, it is be-
lieved. The boy, who is p years
old and cripple, was walking along
the street with his father in front of
the Book residence, about a block
and half distant from the Smolik
home. Neighbors heard two shots
ring out in quick succession. The
third shot followed in about three
minutes, it was said.
II stepped onto my porch when !
heard the first reports of the re-
volver," said Mr.. Book 1T was get
ting dark and | could not see any
one on the sidewalk. l stood for
several minutes trying to ascertain
the direction from which the shots
came when l saw a man swaying
back and forth. The man seemed to |
be kneeling down. l was looking
at him when another shot rang out
and saw the form crumplc up on
the sidewalk"
Will Hold Inquest.
Mr. Book called the police. The
older man was fastened to the hos
pital and the boys body was taken
to the undertaking, establishment of
B. ]. Larkin, Twenty-fourth and NJ
streets. Later Drohas was taken to
the same undertaking parlors.
An inquest will be held today or
tomorrow, it was said.
Drohas had been married g years.
He formerly was a member of the
old Metz brewery base ball team.
and years ago was familiar figure
on the semi-professional diamonds
in this city. He played ball under
the name of Joe Fox, by which he
was known to many until his death.
Drohas is survived by his widow,
one son, Edward, ID years old, and
two daughters, Mrs. Elsie Smolik
and Leona Drohas, 10 years old.
The dead man was As years old.
Had Disagreed Frequently.
81 do not know the cause of the
original trouble between my father
in-law and his WIFE" said Mr.. Smo-
Xix. They disagreed frequently,
however, and Mrs. Drohas sued for
a divorce. My mother-in-law came
to make her home with US yester-
day. Drohas was at our home half
dozen times during the day. He
was ugly and threatened all of US
with a revolver. Joe Drohas, jr.,
was in sympathy with his mother.
believe he tried in every possible
way to get his father not to harm
his mother. 1t was while arguing
with his parent that the man became
Infatuated at his son and killed him."
A number of persons who had
seen and talked to Drohas during
the day declare he was drinking.
Mr.. Larkin, the undertaken, asserted
he detected the odor of whisky on
A. L1J,, L. |