Evening star., 1923-05-31
|DR. ]. M. STERRETT,
noted D. c. RECTOR,
| SHOOTS SELF DEAD
EpiscopaIian Minister, Who
Founded All Souls Church
Here, Is Suicide.
PUTS REVOLVER TO HEAD
| AS NURSE APPROACHES
Rector's Son in Home at Time.
Had Been in III Health for
Several Months.


seventy-six years old. prominent in
Washington's clerical circles for three
decades, associate rector and founder
Of All Souls Sterrett Memorial
Church killed himself this morning
in his room at Springland, the Pierce
Mill road family home
A nurse who has been in attend
ance on DR.. Sterrett for several
months was standing in the room
when he fired a shot from the .32-
caliber revolver which instantly end
J ed his life.
She told police investigating the sui
eide that as he raised the revolver
to his temple he declared: Its al,
| over now. my son." Before she could
| move finger he had pulled the tr1g-
ger and fallen to the foo:
Son In House at Time.
At the time of his death. his son.
Rev. II. H. D. Sterrett. pastor of the
All Souls Sterrett Memorial Church.
| was In the house. 1t was just after
| a conversation with his son that DR..
| Sterrett ascended the stairs and we:.t
|
MIS-. Brocker, the nurse, accom-
panied him. She left the room to get
quilt to spread over him. Return
ing with the cover she discovered the
venerable clergyman with a revolver
in his right hand. raised to his tenn
pie. After the shot had been fired
she dropped the quilt and rushed to
his side. Death had come instantly.
| His son, the pastor, rushed to the
| room, where he burst into tears.
He is in state of grief indicating
a complete breakdown.
Health Had Been Failing.
| DIR. Sterrett had been suffering
| from general nervous trouble for
the past three months. He was being
attended by his family physician. and
| members of the family declared an
appreciable failing in health had been
noted during the last half year.
Coroner hewitt viewed the body and
issued a certificate of death from
suicide. Policemen Blackman and
/ Tierney, and Lieut.. Giles frpm the
substation at Tenleytown, conducted
the investigation on behalf of the
police.
DR.. Sterrett although associate
pastor of All Souls Memorial Church,
| which he built in memory of a de-
ceased son. and entitled to vote in
the balloting for the Bishop of Wash
ington today. did not intend casting
that vote. Rev. H. H. D. Sterrett, the
son. was going to vote, but his grief
stricken condition following the
suicide Of his father will probably
prevent 1t.
Leaves Five Sons.
DIR. Sterrett leaves a widow, a sis
| ter and five sonSrespectively, Mrs.
Adlumia Went Sterrett, Miss Mary A.
Sterrett. Col Robert Sterrett. United
States Army. now on special mission
| in France; Rev. II. H. d. Sterrett. pas
| tor of All Souls Church; John A.
founder of the firm of Sterrett q
| Fleming: Douglas B. Sterrett. in the
| oil industry in Kansas. and W. D.
Sterrett, building contractor OF this
city.
A native of Bellefont, Pa, DR.. Ster-
rett came to Washington in 1891.
| While here. twelve years ago, though
sixty -four years of age, he was made
professor emeritus in the George
| Washington University. He refused,
however. to live a life of retirement.
| Obtaining permission of the rector OF
i ST. Alban's parish to start an inde-
| pendent mission in the Woodley Park
district, he set to work and conducted
on March 5, 1911.
! shortly thereafter the premises at
1927 GARFIELD street was rented and
regular services were held there un-
til the last Sunday in June, 1911.
Portable Chapel Erected. ~
On Sunday, October 15, 1911. a joft-
able chapel erected on the present
| site of All Souls Church. near the
terminus of Cathedral avenue, formed
| oF ha 10 a.
| thing less than two years later, on
| Nav s, 1913, All Souls Mission was
set apart as separate ana inoepend-
ent parish.
the gift of DR.. Sterrett the founder
| and first rector, in memory or his
/ eldest son.. James Macbride Sterrett,
jr. 1t was built during the summer
/ of 1914 and on Sunday, october IL
of that year, 1t was duly consecratei
by the bishop of the diocese.
| Rev. H. H. D. Sterrett began work
| there on May /, 1917, assuming the
duties of pastor, while his father con-
tinued as associate rector.
! Rev. DR.. Sterrett was a member OF
the Chevy Chase Club. In Washing
ton he held an enviable position in
the esteem of the clergy and laity.
and he was known not only for his
| evangelistic but also for his philan
thropic work In many sections of
the city.
Has just Completed Book.
He had just completed writing a
book during the past year and was
at work on another at the present
time. it was said today. Funeral
arrangements have not yet been COM
pleted.
DR.. Sterrett was one of the founders
and had been continuously the presf-
dent Of the Seniors Golf Association
of the Chevy Chase Club. which had
planned to hold an election Of Of
ficers this afternoon. DR.. Sterrett was
approached last night by a member
| of the association who asked him TO
serve again as president. DR.. Sterrett
at first declined but later accepted.
The election has been postponed.
NAAaEn NQV HuiEE