Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
TRAGEDY STRIKES
AT JACK DEMPSEY
Favorite Brother John Kills
Estranged Wife and Self
in Apartment.


WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
SARATOGA LAKE. N. Y, July g.
Tragedy struck the camp Of Jack
Dempsey today and halted the former
world title-holder's training for his
comeback with Jack Sharkey, July 81.
Dempsey had just returned from two
strenuous hours on the road this
morning when word came to the camp
that John Dempsey. his 3S-year- old
brother. had shot himself to death in
Schenectady after killing his 21year-
old wife. Edna Carlow Dempsey, in
their apartment there.
The fighter raced by automobile with
his business adviser. Leo p. Flynn,
to Schenectady. where he identified
the bodies and made arrangements for
their shipment to Salt Lake City, Utah.
and Green Island, N. Y, respectively.
Tears streamed down Jacks cheeks
as he sat in the car outside the
morgue. 1T is terrible" he said, "but
that's life. isn't it?''
FavOrite of Ex.Champion.
John, several years older than Jack,
always had been the favorite of the
husky younger man, friends said, and
had been cared for almost entirely by
the former title holder during a recent
protracted illness.
Three years ago, John. who up to
q short time ago conducted q gym
nasium for boxers in Los Angeles,
underwent a serious abdominal opera
ton, Jack said, and at intervals since
had suffered from mental depression.
It. probably was during one of these
that the older brother fired the fatal
shots. the former champion thought.
Flynn announced later for Dempsey
that the bout with Sharky would take
place as planned despite the tragedy.
Jack will not resume training how
ever, until he has recovered from the
shock. Flynn believed that Jack
would be back to work next Monday.
John Dempsey married the Carlow
girl in Saratoga three years ago. Her
home was in Troy, N. Y. The couple
moved almost Immediately to Los
Angeles. where their two-year-old son,
Bruce. was born.
Separated From Husband.
About three months ago Mrs. Demp-
sey separated from her husband and
went to Schenectady. On hiring the
apartment In which the shooting oc.
Cured, Mrs. Dempsey was reported
to have told the landlady she was
trying to keep out of the way OF my
husband" and that he had threatened
my life" three weeks ago. John fol-
lowed her there with the expected
purpose of opening gymnasium.
John met his wife outside the home
this morning. After a violent argu-
ment in the presence or the landlady,
who said Mr.. Dempsey appeared TO
have been drinking heavily, John
entered the house and was followed
shortly by Mrs. Dempsey.
Almost at once. the landlady said.
three shots sounded. Dempsey died
Immediately from a bullet through
the right temple. Mrs. Dempsey,
wounded in the head and side, was
alive when police arrived, but died
before medical aid could be sum-
moned. The official verdict or Coroner
William c.. Treader pronounced the
deaths as murder and suicide" g,
Other Difficulties Recalled.
The blow that fell upon Dempsey
today recalled the worries ana DIM
culties that have logged his various
training periods in the past. on at
,,aring for important battles Demp-
sew has been harried and harrassed by
mental troubles. At Great Fails,
Mont, while he was preparing for the
championship defense against Tom
Gibbons on July 2, 1923, Jack was
forced to train amid the uncertainty
that the fight never would take place
because of difficulty encountered IN
raising sufficient money to pay the
Later in the same year Luis Firpo's
difficulties with immigration author.
ties forced Jack to train again amid
worry that his title match with the
South American would not take place.
At Atlantic City last Fall before
Dempsey lost the title to Gene Tun-
ney his activities constantly were
hammered by legal troubles growing
out of suits brought by his FORMER
manager, Jack Kearns.
SECOND VIOLENT DEATH.