Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-20
WIFE OF |NGERSOLL
SLAIN IN SHOOTING
Famous Agnostic's Son-in-
Law Says Watch Kings
Mate Fired Bullets.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, December 20.--A love
tangle and tragedy involving SON
in-law of Robert G. Ingersoll. famous
agnostic, and Mrs. Robert Hawley In
gersoll, wife of the retired manufac
turer OF dollar watches. stirred
fashionable Park avenue today.
Mrs. r. II. Ingersoll, 55, estrangel
wife of the manufacturer, was Shot
to death in her apartment on Park
avenue last night, and Wallace NJ.
ProbascO, so, son-in-laW OF Robert q.
lngerSoll, was seriously wounded, The
Ingersoll families are not related.
Probasco was held today in the
prison ward of Bellevue Hospital on
a technical charge of homicide. but
he and his wife claim that Mrs. III
gersoll shot him and killed herself
through jealousy because of O threat
ened break in q relationship that had
endured for year1 Probasco was
shot twice through the chest and
once through the right arm.
Calls Wife After Shooting.
Probasco telephoned his wife after
the shooting. She went to- the apart.
ment, and, with building attendants,
found her husband on the floor beside
Il telephone. Mrs. Ingcrsoll's body
was found on n bed in another room.
She was clad in a pink dressing gown
and wore jewels valued at $4,000.
One hand clutched a revolver. She
wore a necklace of 5S pearls. A plati
mum chain for her glasses contained
43 diamonds. A dinner ring contained
six diamonds and six rubies.
Probasco. an advertising expert ana
general manager and director of the
New Century Color Plate Co., Inc,
said while lying on a hospital cot:
II told Mrs. Ingersoll Saturday that
my wife and l were reconciled. Later
In the day she telephoned me to come
over at once. / went to her apart
ment determined to break with her
for good. l was rather sorry for her.
but felt very happy, for I was going
back to my wife, whom love.
Mrs. Ingersoll upbraided me when
I came in for my GOODNESS toward her.
l apologized and told her Immediately,
wanting to have it over with, that
was not going to see her any more.
"She was very angry. Going into
the other room. she returned with my
hat in her hand and held it toward
me. Go now she said, and / reached
for my hat without answering her.
"As / took the hat she fired with
the pistol she held beneath it. She
fired again and again. The bullets
knocked me down.
Hears Another Shot.
"She ran to the other room and /
heard her fire a shot. but l could not
go to her Immediately. / felt sick.
I oh N cot r ant
to the bedroom where she had gone,
and there l saw she had killed herself
It made me sick again and it was
some time before / could telephone"
Mrs. Probasco was at her apart.
ment in Irving place when she re.
ceived her husbands telephone mes.
sage.
There has been trouble here" he
said. "Come over"
She hurried to the Ingersoll apart
ment. Building attendants forced the
door for her, then called the police.
She accompanied her husband to
the hospital and remained at his bed
side.
"Our estrangement was over when
this took place." said Mrs. Probasco.
He was coming back to me. He was
leaving this woman for the last time.
II love him dearly. I always have
loved him and always shall. l had
kept this affair with the other woman
a secret, and now / am frantic when
I think of him there in the hospital.
1t is all over-let the dead past bury
it's dead. If my husband lives he will
be mine alone. forever"
Married i'm 1912.
Mr. and Mrs. Probasco were married
in 1912 by an Ethical Culture cere-
mOny which did not mention God. DR..
John Elliott, of the Ethical Culture
Society, officiated with these words:
with this ring I thee wed in love
and truth for life-till death do you
part. / now pronounce two names
as holy and sacred as can be spoken
by the lips of man. l pronounce you
man and wife"
MIR. Ingersoll came TO New York
with SITS, started rubber stamp shop
and finally evolved, through study Of
an alarm clock. a cheap watch that
made him famous and won millions
for himself and his brother Charles.
The World War brought the company
difficulties through forcing up the
price-in 1921 it was forced into q
receivership and was eventually taken
over by the Waterbury Clock Co.
years and the Probascos IA. Neither
couple had children.
Maude r. Ingersoll was the favorite
daughter of the famous Bob" who
died in 1899.
Mrs. r. II. 1ngersoll was formerly
Roberta Bannister of Green Bay, Wis.
Pressed for Payment.
Jonah J. Goldstein, attorney for
Probasco, says his client loaned Mrs
Ingersoll $4,000 some time ago on
some property she owned In Green
Bay. Recently, Goldstein declares,
Probasco began pressing Mrs. Inger.
soil for payment.
The police said they found in Mrs.
Ingersolls apartment an unfinished
letter, broken off in the middle of q
sentence. which told of her intention
to kill Probasco and commit suicide.
The letter was withheld, but police
said it ended with, ut is all mistake.
I cannot stand it any
Mrs. Ingersoll had been preparing
for Christmas before the arrival Of
Probasco. A chair in her living room
was found piled with presents, Christ
mas cards and letters, ready for
mailing.
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