Evening star., 1922-10-01
man KILLED; WIFE
| TRYING TO SHIELD
| HIM, SHOT 4 TIMES
Joseph Tighe Accused of Fir
ing Upon Couple in Rock
Creek Ford Road.
ARRESTED EARLY TODAY
rs YARDS FROM HOME
Attack on James Curran and
His Wife Is Laid
to a Feud.

James A. Curran. thirty-nine years
old. foreman in the surface division
of the District government, was shot
and almost instantly killed and his
vile, Mrs. Annie Curran. twenty-five
years old. was wounded four times
while standing beside their automo-
bile in the rear of their home on Rock
Creek Ford road between Broad
evening about 6:3e o'clock. The po-
lice arrested Joseph NJ Tighe, forty
five years old. architect and for
mer secretary to Maj. Gen. Hatsutaro
Haraguchi. military attache of the
Japanese embassy. a neighbor of the
Currans. at o'clock this morning
about seventy-five yards from his
home. He was Immediately taken to
police headquarters to be questioned
Lieut. c. L. Plemmons. night chief
of detectives, and Detectives Cox and
Lynn made the arrest
Mrs. Curran received three bullets
in her right hip and another in hea
abdomen when she pushed her hus-
Charged With Murder.
The police lodged formal charge
Of murder against Tighe and he was
locked up at the first precinct sta
ton.
During an examination by Inspec-
tor Grant and Lieut. Plemmons Tighe
refused to make any statement He
told Inspector Grant that he would
answer no questions at this time, but
would tell the truth later.
Inspector Grant said that Tishr
told him he gave a gun to Henry H.
Classic, an assistant attorney general
in the Wilson administration, whom
he has engaged as counsel, but At
torney Classic denied he received the
| revolver from Tighe. The latter then
told Inspector Grant that he threw
the revolver in the well at his home.
band aside as, she said, Tigheeap-
preached with a revolver in his hand.
After three shots had struck her. the
fourth missed and pierced the heart
Of her husband. killing him instantly
According to Mrs. Curran's version
of the tragedy. told as she lay at
Emergency Hospital last night. her
husband was oiling the automobile al
the entrance of the garage at the rea.
Of their home, and she was standing
, beside the car, watching the proceed
ipgs.
Mrs. Curran's Story.
A man, whom she claims was Tighe
with whom her husband had quar-
relied. approached down the alley. and
| when at a distance of about twenty
feet Mr.. Curran's dog ran toward
Tighe and barked loudly. Tighe hesi-
tated at the dogs approach, and, Mrs.
Curran said, muttered a threat. Cur
ran replied that the dog would not
harm him.
Mrs. Curran said that Gghe then
| started toward them, at the same
time reaching for his pocket. Cur
ran turned to his wife. Il think he
has something on his hip" he said.
Without warning, Tighe. according
to Mrs. Curran. pulled out .22-caliber
revolver and as he did so she rushed
to shield her husband. AS she did SO
she received the first three bullets
I fired, the fourth missing her and
striking her husband. He fell dead.
Tighe. she said, then fired a fifth
shot 1t struck her in the abdomen.
! He then turned and fed.
Mrs. Curran said that she scream
ed for help and as she saw her hus
band lying very still on the ground
she rushed to him, calling to him to
| speak. Then she collapsed. Neigh
bors rushing to the scene, attracted
by the sound of firing. found her
lying across her husbands body.
Tighe was seen by neighbors
| shortly after o'clock, walking up
Broad Branch road in the direction
Of his home. He had just returned
| from a downtown theater with John
Barnes. the ten-year-old nephew of
George Livingstone. retired sports
man, who lived near by.
According to the police. when Tighe
first passed the Curran's home, going
to the home Of Mr.. Livingstone, the
Currans were working on their auto
mobile. The couple are said to have
| spoken to young Barnes, but ignored
Tirhe. Returning from the Living
stone home, Tighe again passed the
Curran home and as he came near
the automobile Curran's Airedale dog
barked. Several shots were heard
after the dog ceased barking.
Benjamin Schneider, a neighbor Of
tho Currans. rushed from his house
and found Mr.. and Mrs. Curran lying
in the road.
Tighe's home last night was sur
rounded by a detail Of headquarters
detectives in the expectation that he
would return
Tighe's home is regarded as
curiosity by those familiar with the
premises. Traces of his intimacy
with Japanese customs are found all
about his estate. He has built two
large frame towers. about seventy
Ave feet in height, one of which he
uses as a dwelling. These towers
have . base OF twenty-five feet and
stand between clump of trees
bordering Rock Creek Ford road. Each
tower has four rooms. one to q floor.
curiousiy decorated ~ Oriental
fashion.
TiRhe lives on the top floor Of the