Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-19
MURDER THROWS
CHURCH into PANIC.
James Wright Markoe, Promi-
. nent New York Physician,
Victim of Radical.
WAS J. P. MORGAN's DOCTOR
Killer Appears Crazed, Admit
ting Bolshevist Belief When
Arrested.
WAS J. P. MoRGAN's DOCTOR

NEW YORK. April 1s.-pr. James
MarKoe. ~ell-known surgeon. was
shot and killed today whilc taking
up the offerings at the morning SER
vice In the fashionable st. Georges
Protestant Episcopal Church, FIJI
teenth Street and Stuyvesant Place.
IN the old aristocratic district Of New
York.
The assailant was captured after
short chase by group of parish
loners. The prisoner gave his name
first AS Thomas w. Shelley. and later.
ms Thomas w. Simpkin. The police-
said he told them he had escaped
Thursday from tho Eastern state
Hospital for the Insane Mt Williams
burg. Va.
DIR. 'Markoe. a wealthy yestrymnn
OF the church. was friend and per-3
s"nal physician of J. Pierpont Nor
gan, also pnrishioner there. He
was h6 years old.
Was Taking Coiiec tlon.
The church was crowded with
parishioners. many OF them repre-
sentatives OF the wealthiest fami-
hes In New York. when tho shooting
'"ON lihSe.f bE. MuTKOe WAS walk
fng down the left aisle, taking mn
tho collection. while the choir was
singing an anthem. Aa he reached
tho twelfth pew from the rear and
! leaned over co pass the plate, Shelley.
who was seated next to- the aisIe;,
whipped out revolver and fred ut
the physician. Tho bullet struck him
over the left eye and he collapsed In
tho aisle.
Several women screamed and mon
rushed from their seats. some TO the
aid or the physician. and others In
pursuit of his assuilant. Shelley,
with the revolver in his hand, lcaped /.
over the body of physician and
started to run out OF the church.
The choir continued singing in an
effort TO quiet the congregation.
Continued Shooting.
/ Shelley continued shooting. His
second shot. directed at members OF
the congregation who were pursuing.
went wild. John C. Tiedman, tho
sexton. dropped to the 1loor In tinie
to escape the third bullet, which
grazed the cheek OF ]. Morgan Jones.
Shelley then ran from the church
Into Stuyvesant Square. DR.. George
Il. Brewer was the first man to reach
him. Hs grabbed the mans arm,
hut Shelley managed to wriggle him.
self loose long enough to fire an
other shot. which grazed Or.
Brewers thigh. l
by that time several other mem.
bers Of the congregation had thrown
Shelley to the ground and were holli
ing him down wien n policeman urt
! rived handcuned the prisoner and ,
took him TO the police station.
/ E,xnIrpd
| Meanwhile, Dr. Markoe had been
carried cut Of the church and placed
/ In an automobile. AS he was being
lifted into the car he regaincd COR
sc!ousness long to say, ~ will be NIL
right" and then collapsed. He was
rushed to the Lying In Hospital. but
was dead when brought into that in
sttution.
Shelley freely admitted that he had
shot DR.. Markoe. according to the
police. There are lot more who
are soniG to get IL, too" he Is re-
ported to have said when questioned
by detectives
About two years ago, Shelley told
the police he escaped from an insane
asylum at Fergus Falls. Minn.. after
three unsuccessful attempts Six
months later he went to Gary. Ind,
IL
which he has carried ever since and
with which he did the shooting.
Search Dincloscs Radical.
Search OF n suit case Shelley had
| checked at the Pennsylvania terminal
revealed, the police say, several rad
icai papers. He also had draft
card showing ne had registered Sep
tember Is. 1918. under the name OF
| Thomas w. slmpkin. 203 Fourth
Street. SaulS City, Wis. There wero
also several business cards reading
Thomas w. Simpk!n." and In the
lower corner Representing Swift
County Printing Company and Kerk-
| hOven Banner"
letter addressed to. him and
found in the suit case had tho adj
dress, Sis Peabody Street. Duluth.
MINI. The police believe 1t was
from his wife.
Appeal EnraRed Him.
Tho assassin said to DR.. Brewer
and Mr.. Morgan as they seized him:
II had to do 1t. listened to DR.,
Reiland urging us to raise money.
never had any money. and L
thought I would wake the people &
up. don't know why I shot"
TO others he said: ~ 4
Il fred the shots. I am q Bai-
shevist. knew that this world was
no place for man without money.
went to the church, and the hrsr
thing hoard was demand rors
money. Then started shooting
Continued on Second Psge.J y. 4
80 ~