Evening star., 1925-07-05
POLICEMAN FOUND
DYING Of BULLET
IN BANK DOORWAY
c. J. -Tompkins' Shooting
Mysterious Despite Sui
eide Evidence.

Clyde ]. Tompkins. a policeman at
tached to the Traffic Bureau. was
found fatally shot and under mysti-
flying circumstances in the doorway
of the Liberty National Bank, Fif-
teenth and l streets, shortly after IL
o'clock last night. Despite some in
dications of a suicide, headquarters
detectives are investigating some un-
usual facts in connection with the
case.
No one saw Tompkins shoot himself,
nor are the police certain any one
heard the shot. He was simply seen
to walk into the doorway to escape
the fury of last nights storm, ap-
parently carefree and happy. Less
than half an hour later his body was
found crumpled in the archway, his
service pistol lying beside him.
Robert Scroggins, a watchman at
the bank, was attracted first to
Tompkins when he ran into the door
way. The storm was just breaking
and after satisfying himself that the
fugitive was simply seeking shelter,
the watchman returned to the rear
of the bank and began playing soli-
taire. A few minutes later he heard
crash he thought to be the crack
ing of lightning.
Finds Body on Floor.
When the storm had subsided
Scroggins again went to the door to
look out and found the body of Tomp-
kins lying on the floor. a gaping
wound in both sides of his head. Sew
eral other persons apparently noticed
the body about the same time and
three different calls for the police
were sent in almost simultaneously,
calling detectives from headquarters
besides uniformed men from the first
and third precinct stations.
An ambulance was summoned from
Emergency Hospital by Park Officer
Samuel Millhauser and when Tomp-
kins was taken into the accident room
surgeons declared nothing could be
done to save his life. A bullet from
a heavy caliber revolver had pierced
mis- brain. entering at the left side
and tearing it way out through a
gaping wound on the right side. Ap-
parently the shot had been fired from
close quarters.
Identified BY Badge.
At that time no one knew the iden-
tity of Tompkins. He carried no pa
pers nor apparent marks of indenti-
fication, and the only money in his
clothes amounted to less than 20
cents. Before he could be ques-
toned the man died of his wound.
Physicians picked up coat that had
been torn from him and found pinned
beneath a lapel a policeman's badge,
bearing the numbers 1906. Investi-
cation then disclosed Tompkins'
identity.
His usual post of duty was Seventh
and G streets and he had handled
traffic at that point until late yester-
day afternoon. A brother. l.. o.
Tompkins, also attached to the Traf-
fic Bureau and with whom he lived
at 624 street northeast, said he had
left Clyde shortly after o'clock in
the afternoon. At that time he was
in the best of spirits and the brother
physical, mental or sentimental ma
ture, that might have prompted a
suicide.
Bullet Fired From Own Gun.
The pistol from which the fatal
shot was fired belonged to Tompkins
and one exploded shell was found in
the chamber. Several unexploded
bullets remained intact. If the bullet
was fired by Tompkins, he dropped
the weapon as he fell, for it lay
several feet from his body and the
handle had been broken where it
struck the stone walk of the doorway.
The dead officers brother and
mother went to the hospital early this
morning and identified the body. Mrs.
Tpmpkins tainted when she entered
the hospital and learned for the first
time that her son had died. She re-
quired careful treatment for some
time before the physicians would per-
NIT her to return home. No disposi-
tion will be made of the body until
a coroner's inquest has been convened.
No One Heard Shot.
The police are at a loss to under
, stand why Tompkins should have
fled from the storm and then delib-
erately taken his own life, without
any known reason and without leav-
ing message of any kind behind. A
woman and two men, the latter guests
at the Franklin Square Hotel, noticed
the body as they passed, but, like
Scroggins, could shed no light on the
tragedy None had heard the fatal
shot.
| Headquarters Detectives Scrivener
and Kelley and Precinct Detective ].
f. Kane were assigned to the case
All lean toward the theory of suicide
but a complete investigation is to be
made to clear up the mystifying cir
cumstances that still surround the
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