The New York herald., 1921-07-17
SON DEFENDS name
Or FHiSSLAN FATHER
John G. Hemming Denies
That Parent Was Drunk
ard or Abusive.
MAN OF HIGH TEMPER
Unable to Agree With Wife
as Both Tried to DOmi.
nate, He Says.
HAD NO MONEY TROUBLES
Suspicious of Motive Behind
Killing and May Press
Case Further.
HAD NO MONEY TROUBLES

port L. l.. sat in a room adjoining the
room that held his fathers body yes
terday afternoon and earnestly de-
nounced the imputations and asper-
sions that had heen cast upon Harry
G. Hemming's character in the telling
OF the tale of the murder and suicide
The body is at the home of the son,
80 West Eighty-sixth street
In statement last night. Assistant
District Attorney Partridge. who is
conducting he investigation for the
prosecutors office, said he had given
some time to an inquiry into stories
OF Hemnlins's alleged financial
troubles. he learned he said, that the
murdered man pawned not long before
he was killed, a considerable quantity
of jewelry nd that he had no money
TO speak Of. Most of Hemming's
money. he added was made in promo
tion schemes.
Mr.. Partridge sad he believed Hem
ming had .een the victim of mental
instability. He drew attention to the
brokers' temper and foolhardiness in
insisting on the visit to View Point
Thursday hight as reason for this
theory.
1T was bad enough,; said. young
Hemming. tears standing in his eyes,
to have my father shot down in cold
blood without having to read this morn
ing such miserable falsehoods about
him. Here are the facts:
In the first place. my father was
not a drinking man. He might take
half dozen drinks a week. no more
He never drank to the point Of it's
affecting him physically or mentally
If anybody stated to the Sheriff of
Suffolk county that my father was dan
Serous because of drinking habits or for
any other reason that person lied
MY father was not the person to be
violent or brutal to any woman. I do
not believe he was ever guilty of rough
conduct to woman IN his life. He had
a quick. high temper and did quarrel
often with Mrs. Hemming, both of them
being rather positive in terhperam amert and
both liking TO dominate.
Affairs in Good Order.
His financial affairs were in good or
der. He had made and spent from Sl5,-
600 to $4,000 year ever since he began
a general stock brokerage and invest
nent business in New York well on to
twenty-five years ago. He made money
easily and he spent It freely. He was
never in financial difficulties that re-
qufred his going to Mrs. Hemming for
aid. In his pockets when he was muir
dered was a note for $4,000. a check for
$4,000. $22S in cash. a considerable
amount Of jewelry and nine pawn tickets
He had on deposit with the Equitable
Trust Company $4,000, and sums with
his brokers in addition.
About those pawn tickets II is a
miserable iie to state that father took
Mrs. Hemming's Jewelry and pawned it,
The tickets show that Mrs. Hemming
pawned her own jewelry for her own
purposes. Six of the tickets were issued
months before my father married this
woman. Three of thesl were issued after,
the marriage. All bear the name Mrs.
II. Henderson, When my father married
her she gave him the tickets for safe
keeping. He had told her that some day
he would redeem the articles for her
Ihe. reason they separated on June
~. month to day before he was niur-
dered, was because they were too hot
tempered to get along and they realized
u. Father was man to run his own
AaObe's hlSs fltHlnllIlE COulu not DTOOK
the slightest domination. They quar-
relied necessarily. Doubtless harsh
things were said on both sides That
happens. ! fancy, in a good many fami-
lies. The end was that father quit the
house at Duck Island and came to live
In this apartment that he took when this
house was built fifteen years or so ago.
Money matters had nothing whatever to
do with their separation. Father had
N 1nt.t III
the step he did.
Says He Had Reason.
How he know that Mrs Hemming
was In New York we do not know |
surmse that he had phoned to North
port and had been told of her leaving
for town. At all events he encountered
her In the Pennsylvania Station. and !
nc saw at once that II was his duty to
tak1 her first TO his own apartment and
then to escort her to her Long Island I
home He had an excellent reason for
taking her home himself ather than
permitting her TO make the railroad
Journey by train
Here In this house on Thursday night |
when he insisted that he had TO take
her home I heard her tell him that
Frank would kill him IL he went there
J said to him. Father. why don't YOU
her a month now. What difference does
u mskeT But he insisted that he must |.
go, and persisted in spite of her plain
dislike for the idea Il did not like the I
rotion Of his going. but naturally / |
could m. Believe that he would come to
harm.
AS regards the telephone call that
rs. Hemming made from Centreport 20
Eberhardt at ie.s house there Is dis
agreement Mira Hemming had stated to
the authorities that she did not tell Eber-
hardt to bar Hemming from the house.
sne stated that she merely telephoned
10 her caretsker 10 reassure her daugter
Helen. or 'Duclsy.' a S she calls her. about
FER lateness In arriving But the child
says something absolutely different
myself heard her state to the oflcials
Why, mother YOU are wrong You
spoke so loudly over the phone that
heard every word. You said Don't
tet Mr.. Hemming get into the house" 4
I have no doubt that the reinsurance 70
the lid was the pretext she used to
my father for making a phone call Just
as ] have no doubt that she really
ordered her servant TO block my fathers
entrance to the house. know that
later on she did not command Eberhardt
not TO shoot. There Is no record OF her
having tried by word or act TO prevent
the shooting.
That is al, ! have to say now Ram
p its-..+es