Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-03
DEMPSEY'S BROTHER KILLS Wife
And SELF. HALTINC Elk CHAMPIONS
TRAINING FOR SHARKEY MATCH

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS
SARATOGA LAKE, N. Y, July 2 Up
Tragedy struck the camp of Jack
Dempsey today and halted the for
mer world titleholder's training Tor
his comeback with Jack Sharkey,
July 21. 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 kill
ing his 81 year old wife, Edna Car
low Dempsey, in their apartment
there.
The fighter raced by automobile
with his business advisor Leo P.
Flynn to Schenectady, there he
identified the bodies and made ar
rangements for their shipment to
Salt Lake City, Utah, and Green
Island, N. ~, respectively.
Tears streamed down Jacks cheeks
as he sat in the car outside the
norgue
1T is terrible, he said, but that's
life, isn't ito"
John, several years older than
Jack, always had been the favorite
OF the husky younger man, friends
said, and had been cared for al
most entirely by the former title
holder during recent protracted
illness.
Three years ago, John, who, up to
o short time ago, conducted a gym
nasium for boxers, in Los Angeles,
underwent serious abdominal oper-
alton, Jack said, and at intervals
since had suffered from mental de-
preston. 1t probably was during
one o. these that the older brother
fired the fatal shots, the former
champion thought,
Flynn announced later for Demp-
sey that the bout with Sharkey
would take place as planned despite
the tragedy. Jack will not resume
training, however, until he has re-
covered from the shock. Flynn be-
lieved 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.
About three months ago, Mrs.
Dempsey separated from her hus-
band and went to Schenectady. On
hiring the, apartment in which the
shooting occurred Mrs. Dempsey was
reported to have told the landlady
she. was tl.ying to keep out of the
way of my husband and that he had
threatened my life" Three weeks
ago, John followed her there with
the expected purpose OF opening a
gymnasium.
The blow that fell upon Dempsey
today recalled the worries and diff
cultieS that have dOgged his various
training periods IN the past On at
least three other occasions when
preparing for important battles,
Dempsey had been harried and har-
rassed by mental troubles. At Great
Falls, Mont, while he was prepar-
ing for the championship derense
against Tom Gibbons on July 2.
1923, Jack was forced to train amid
the uncertainty that the fight ever
would take place because of diff
Guilty encountered in raising suffice
lent money to pay the combatants.
Later in the same year Luis Angel
Firpos difficulties with immigration
authorities 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
Tunney, his activities constantly
were hah1pered by legal troubles
growing out OF suits brought by his
former manager, Jack Kearns.
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