Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-07-01
MAN, Is, KILLS SELF
IAND DAUGHTER, 40
Double Staying in Flower.
Covered Home by J. S.
! Pollock Unexplained.
WOMAN SHOT AT RADIO
Was Listening to Convention Pro.
ceedings-Father Lived Apart
From Her.

Maple Cottage, at 734 Varnum
street. which has been transformed
into a f1ower-covered home by seven
teen years of care and the artistic
grouping Of shrubbery, was the
strange setting for a homicide and
suicide late yesterday. John Simms
Pollock, seventy-five. shot and killed
his daughter. Mrs. Margaret Isabelle
Davis, forty years old, as she sat lis
tening to radio returns from the
Democratic convention. and then
turned the pistol to his temple.
Maple Cottage Is home in every
sense of the word. A huge maple
stands sentry at the right side OF the
porch. shading the doorway. Ferns
in profusion border the approach 70
the house Little awarfed spruce
trees lend rich air tC the lawn any
aid other shrubs in eta cling straisht
lines from the side of the house. az AZ
the rear an oak more than lou ieet
high rises to hardy foliage f1foin e nf
circling ivy vines. Thous@nuSt i,,o q
blooming rambler roses shori time
ago covered the rear porch with Grim
SON. pink and white blotches. l.,
Thick clusters of grapes area
have shown themselves in an ar0o..
beneath the oak Actually, the house
nestles in flowers and shrubbery.
Made Him Comfortable.
Il was in such a setting that Mrs.
Davis yesterday sat down to hear the
returns from the convention. she
sat on a stool brought from the
kitchen She had given her rather
more comfortable seat at her sioe eh, On
which she had made ready for him.
and few bundles of little delicacies
she had wrapped for him to take
away She sat with her iett nano 70
an earpiece and her right hand hold
4 pistol shot broke tbs. stiffness.
She crumpled and fell to tue moor.
Her head went down, her baay re
NAMED on the chair. A second snot,
and the father slumped back in the
chair, a bullet hole in his brain TnaI
was all except that blood trick!ed ALI
the W. down to the cellar before
the two bodies were dlscoVered:
It was after 5 o'clock when William
C. jackson, a relative. who resides at
the house. returned home. He found
the bodies Of the principals OF the
double tragedy Of Maple Cottage.
noted in a dazed way that a pot. OF
coffee was still boiling and two eggs
were broken in a bowl ready TO be
dropped into the frying pan: Inc
pairing such things for the father
when he visited her, few times eacn
weak. These articles probably were
evidence Of a delayed neal, SO that
father and daughter might cHeeh Son
vention returns.
Cause Not Establiahed
The cause for the act, according to
r~S,dents Of the house, cannot be ex-
plained, except that Mr.. Pollock might
have been suffering from mental
alteration. Although there was not
room for him in the house. according
to Mr.. Davis. her. husband .;s;tna th Mr; roi
Pollock was former resident OF
Cincinnati, Ohio He. had been re-
tired from the Smithsonian institu-
ton on account of advanced years.
Heshad a pension and had been room
inFI at 1872 K street. His more
recent residence he Kept a secret
from residents at Maple Cottage, they
said today.
Detectives Ira Keck and B. w.
vestigation. Coroner hewitt gave
certificates of suicide aud homicide.
While the detectives awaited the ar
rival of the coroner they hearned that
Lynwood Particle. ten years old. VINO
lives nearby, at 3 o'clock yesterday
afternoon had sought permission at
Maple Cottage to regain possession
of a ball he had thrown in the yard
and received no response to ringing
the bell. Detectives believe tnaI
therefore, the double tragedy vas en-
acted between 1 o'clock. when MI.
Pollock arrived, and o'clock
Funeral arrangements have not
been completed The funeral o6 the
father will be under the auspices OF
q fraternity of which he was mem-
ing the latter part of the week. With
funeral services from the Fourth
Presbyterian Church and interment
in Rock Creek cemetery.