The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-04-19
MANIAC KILLS
N. Y. SURGEON AT.
SUNDAY SERVICE
DR.. James MarkOe Shot Through
Head While Taking Up
Collection
MURDERER IS \ lysArlc
Records Show He Was Commit.
ted to Asylum at Fergus
Falls, Minn.
MURDERER is A LUNATlC

New York. April 19.-Thomas w.
Shelley, known also as Thomas W.
Simpkin. faced arraignment today for
shooting DR.. James Wright Markoe, an
eminent surgeon, in fashionable St.
Georges Episcopal church yesterday.
Police officials said they, would later
asked for the appointment of a COM
ask for the appointment of COM
unacy. He told the police he had
escaped from lunatic asylum last
week.
Detectives questioned Shelley close
ly in his cell and police headquarters
in fruitless endeaver to learn mo-
i've for the shooting. He told a
rambling story OF his career as an
itinerant printer since. coming to this
country from England. 1t also de-
veloped he was deserter from the
Canadian army. the police said.
A suit case owned by the man was
filled with religious tracts and news.
paper clippings on variety of sub.
jects. He told the police he had never
before seen or heard Of DR.. Markoe.
TAKING UP COLLECTION
/ The murder occurred soon after the
rector of the church, DIR. Karl Rel.
land, had concluded his morning ser
mon in which he had advised his con.
gregation to be friendly to every
stranger visiting the church DR..
Markoe was taking up the collection
when his assailant. without warning
produced a revolver and fired a sho,
in the head, death resulting soon af.
terwards in hospital.
Before Shelley was captured outside
of the church he fired another which
grazed the cheek of an usher and
wounded DR.. George E. Brewer in the
leg. Another shot Just missed Her.
bert l.. Satterlee, son-in-law iof j.
Pierpont Morgan. 81
Thomas w. Simpkin VINO killed Dr.
James Wright Markoe in St. Georges
Episcopal church yesterday was re-
vealed by ,the police as religious
fanatic. who took pleasure in heari,ss
sermons in different churches Out
who always went armed in fear of be-
ing returned to the insane asylum
from which he had escaped in Mime
sofa, Winnipeg. Chicago and else
where Arraigned in court he was
held without bail for hearing Wednes
day.
After the arraignment, Assistant
District Attorney O'Shaughnessy said
he had obtained from Simpkin vol
untary confession that he had come
to this city to kill J. Pierpoint Morgan
but had found that he was dead ana
that he planned toj slay former Repre-
sentative G. B. Miller of Duluth
Il am not sorry for what l did,"
Simpkin was quoted Il am only sorry
for DR.. Markoe's wife. My heart
aches for her"
IF had chance I'd do it all over
again. If had gotten away with it
| would have killed Congressman C.
B. Miller of Duluth. heard Miller
declare in speech If you see an l.
w. W. kill him."
ANY man advocating the killing of
another man should be killed him.
SELF"
ESCAPED FROM MINNESOTA
st. Paul, April 19-Records at the
state. capitol today disclosed that
Thomas w. Simpkin. also known as
Thomas w. Shelley, who shot and
killed DR.. James w. Markoe. surgeon.
in st. Georges church. New York. yes
terday. was former resident of Cal
gary, Alberta. On April %. 1917. he
was committed to the Fergus Falls,
Mimi, state insane asylum from Du-
luth. Mimi. one of his religious delu-
sions being that his life typified the
life of Christ. He escaped from the
asylum in August Of the same year.
but was recaptured the next day. On
June IS, 1918, he escaped again and
was never captured. His wife and
two children returned to England soon
after his committal to the asylum.