New-York tribune., 1922-02-24
Aid
Shoots Hotel
Man, Kills Self
Tragedy in Reception Room
of shc Montague. in EasIs-
iouabIc Brooklyn Heights
District. Alarms Guests
Telephone Cir! Witness
James i. Grape. Proprietor,
Wounded: Fouv Children
Survive ]. 4. NoorI,ics

Joseph Alfred Noorhcs. assistant
manager OF thc Hotel Montague. l0S
Montague street, Brooklyn, shot and
wounded bis employer. james t. Grape,
yesterday Afternoon, in q reception
room at tho right Of the lobby Of the
hotel Thcn he shot himself He died
in Long Island College Hospital.
from a note said TO hnyc been found
by tho police in the room where The
shooting occurred it would appear that
Noorhcs had contemplated suicide.
The note WAS addressed 20 "Loula
Eobichaus and my poor, dear children.
56 Joralcmon Street, 1t was written
on the stationery Of tho hotel and
dated Wednesday,. lt'rcad:
"Dear loula and children: ! am very
sorry to do this, but | cant stand this
any longer. You can blame j. f. Grape
for it all. GoodbJ and good luck" Il
was signed Papa
Tragedy Follows Voorhees, Discharge
The shooting took place shortly astcr
Grape had Informed Noorhics that his
services were no lonrcr required. X
was about 1:30 o'clock and the hotel
vas busy with luncheon guests. Noor-
hies. according to Grape had been
drinking.
Grape called Noorhies 20 his apart
ment on the fourth floor Of the hotel.
They had long talk Grape censurcd
VOORHEES, for his conduct and charged
him with inebricty, which, Grape later
told the police, had of late become
both frequent aud noticeable. At tho
close Of the conference the proprietor
told Noorhics that he was discharged
and that his salary would continue un-
til March |. Noorhes got up from his
chair and said; Lets 80 downstairs
and talk it over"
He went out. Five minutes later
Grape followed him, and they met in
the reception room. VOORHEES, picked
up the conversation and said: "If
that's the way you want it, it might
as well be-"
"All right" said Grape, and turned
to leave the room.
Just as Grape reached the door Noor-
hics drew a revolver from his pocket
and fired. The shot struck Grape in
Che right arm and came out through his
chest. He stumbled. Noorhics fired
again. He missed, but at that moment
Grape, who had reached d spot near the
elevator, fell. Noorhies evidently
thought the second snot had been fatal.
lie placed the muzzic Of The revolver
to his head and pulled the trigger
Shots Alarm Hotel
Guests came running from all dircc-
tlons. Miss Norma McGarahan, the tel
cphonc operator, could see into the re
ceptlon room from where she sat. After
the first shot, she said, shc saw Grape
stagger into the lobby. she saw Voor-
HES aim and fire the second shot. she
said. BY the time the third shot was
hred She w2s leaving the hotel on her
way to the Hotel Bossort. across the
street, there TO give the alarm.
Grape told the police chat VOORHEES,
owed him $1,000. and that during thcir
coANcrsation Noorhics he'd SAID. "NcI
what about tnat S1,200 | o&c you ."
Grape, according 10 tho 9olice. told
oofnlcs, You just clcar out and wc'N
caN that $1,000 Of
oorhies had been assistant nanaco,
os tne hotel for two wears. lie was INV
Two Years Old and had tour cLjldreI
GFape's home is in Red Bank. X. J.
ne hotel Montague is in the fasljor'-
&o4e broOhlyn Heights section.