The Democratic advocate., 1922-03-10
REJECTED SUITOR
KILLS GIRL
HARVEY GARTRELL SHOOTS ARTA IRIS
JENKINS, AT HOME OF HER GRAND
PARENTS-TURNS WEAPON ON HIM.
SELF-ONLY SLIGHTLY WOUNDED
ESCAPES FROM POSSE.

Arta Iris Jenkins, the pretty 17-year
old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest
H. Jenkins, near Berrett, was shot in
the forehead and instantly killed at
the home of her grandparents, Mr.
and Mrs. George w. Hess, Buckeys-
town. shortly after noon Sunday by
Harvey Gartrell, about 20, rejected
suitor-
Gartrell then turned the pistol on
himself. but inflicted only a slight
scalp wound. Then he escaped in an
automobile. He abandoned the car
two miles from the scene of the TRACE
dy and was last seen making his way
across a field in the direction of the
Monocacy river.
The crime threw the quiet village
into excitement and threats of ven
geance were freely made. The murderer
was followed a short distance on foot.
but he soon outdistanced his pursuers.
The latter came upon the abandoned
car about two miles from Frederick.
The victim came to the home of her
grandparents the first of the year to
care for Mrs. Hess, who was not in
good health. On two previous occas-
ions Gartrell, who is the son of Sank
ey Gartrell, near Morgans, called to
see her. and each time was requested
not to come again. Two weeks ago,
when he called, she returned him a
watch that he gave her at Christmas,
not to visit her.
/ SUNDAY morning, with Mr.. and MIS-.
Hess. she attended the Methodist Prot
estant Church. They returned home at
noon, and were in the kitchen at dim
ner when Gartrell drove up. parked
his automobile in the yard and raped
at the front door. Mr.. Hess went to the
door and invited the young man into
the parlor He returned to the kitchen
and told his granddaughter that Cart
rell was in the house.
She at first hesitated to receive him
but finally went to the parlor. In the
meantime Mrs Hess, thinking that the
youth would remain for dinner, pre-
nared an extra place at the table. Just
as they were about to invite him TO
the meal. about 1 minute after Miss
Jenkins had entered the parlor, both
we're startled by scream, followed
Inv a shot. Mr.. Hess rushed to the par
Ior and found his granddaughter ly-
ing motinnless on the floor, with blood
rushing from a wound in her head.
GartreIl, who stood few feet from
.he BODY. turned the weapon toward
himself and fired. He fell and MT.
Hess grappled with him and wrenched
the weapon from his hand. Regalnlng
his feet Gartrell dashed out the front
door. jumped into his car, turned the
machine in the direction OF TINS CITY
and left at a high rate of speed MIS-
Hess, grandmother of the girl, VINO
had been in poor health, collapsed al
ter the tragedy and fears are enter
tanned for her recovery.
DR.. T. Clyde ROutSon. nelghDor'
was Immediately summoned, but the
victim was dead when he arrived, the
hall from .32-calibre, lodged in her
hrain. causing instant death. The bull
LET that graZed the head of the muir
darer imbedded itself in the rear wall
of the parlor.
States Attorney Aaron R. Anders
and Justice of the Peace ]. Graham
Johnson went to the house and viewed
tbe remains. The body lay in the same
Mace where it had fallen. A coroner S
iurv with John H. Baker, foreman
Hess who said: 1--WE were at dinner
after having returned from churcn'
whom GartrelI drove in an automobile
into the ward, got out and came TO the
front door. l met him at the door and
asked him into the parlor l then Went
where nv wife and granddaughter
were eating dinner and told Arta that
Gartrell was here. She at first hesltat-
ed to see him when l suggested as
courtesy. to go and see him. Mrs. hess
then prepared a place for hlm at the
table and the next instant l heard a
scream. followed by the report OF a
, nistol. l rushed to the room found the
girl living on the floor and Gartrell a
few feet from her with a revolver III
his hand. He turned the gun on NM
GOLF fired and fell to the floor. While
he was down I grappled with him and
took the weapon out of his hand
BLOOD was oozing from scalp wound
on his forehead. l said to him you
have killed Arta.' He replied shoot
me- and almost at the same time ran
from the house, jumped into his auto
mobile and disappeared. I Immediate
lv summoned DR.. Routson."
/, After hearing the testimony the jury
returned a verdict to the effect that
tbe girl had died from bullet fired
from a revolver by Harvey Gartreli:
The theory is that Gartrell eluded
his nursuers by walking along the
edge of the stream under slop1ne
hill They also found evidence that
, he watched the posse from points OF
| vantage under the hill. 1t is known
that the officers and large NUMBER
J of persons who assisted in the NUM-
did not go closer perhaps than 20 feet
from the river, as the fugitive was
tracked to a fence which parallels the
, stream for some distance, where they
: lost the trail.
, Sheriff Jones. of Frederick county
found a pocketbook and package OF