Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-18
SECRETARY KILLS DOHENY. R..
AND THEN COMMITS SUICIDE
EmpIoye Is Believed to Have
Been Mentally Deranged
Temporarily.
Father, Oil Magnate, Col
IapSes on Being Told of
Sons Death.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, February 18.-The
Staying of Edward l.. Doheny, jr., heir
to the Doheny oil millions, by his
secretary and friend Theodore Hugh
Plunkett, who committed suicide, was
looked upon today by investigating Of
ficialS as the deed of a man temporarily
mentally deranged.
Doheny, So years old, was shot to
death in his home here late Saturday
night as his family awaited the arrival
of DR.. E. G. Fishbaugh, to treat Plunkett
for threatened nervous breakdown.
When confronted by the physician
Plunkett retreated to the room in which
Doheny's body lay and shot himself
through the head. The doctor found
both men dead.
Conference Preceded Shooting.
Several points regarding the murder
and suicide remained to be cleared up,
however Whether there had been
struggle as Doheny had attempted to
quiet Plunkett was uncertain The
furniture had been disarranged. An
overturned bottle and several glasses
were on table.
Since Plunkett's wife obtained an I'M
contested divorce last October, investi-
gators of the district attorneys office
said, young Doheny's secretary had de-
veloped nervous ailment which had
become serious. Dr. Fishbaugh, the
Doheny family physician for 10 years,
at the request of Doheny, jr., had at
tended Plunkett.
Saturday afternoon, a few hours be-
fore the double tragedy, a family con-
ference had been held over Plunketts
condition, which had become worse as
the result of his refusal to abide by the
physicians instructions. The conferees
attempted to induce Plunkett, who was
living at Greystone, the home of
young Doheny, to go to sanitarium for
rest and treatment. They said Plunkett
had refused to go.
Young Doheny was clad in night
clothing and robe when his body was
found on the floor of Plunkett's room.
Dr. Fishbaugh, who was the first to
see the bodies, expressed the opinion
that Doheny had. gone to Plunkett's
room late in the evening to observe his
condition and that he had found the
secretary to be in a mentally serious
condition.
A pillow from one of the twin beds
had been neatly placed upon a chaise
Tongue. indicating to officials that Do
heny had tried to quiet Plunkett by
having him lie down. That Plunkett
refused was indicated by the unruffled
pillow.
DR.. Fishbaugh, who had been re-
quested by young Doheny to hold HIM
self ready to go to Greystone on short
notice. arrived shortly before midnight,
after having been called out of thea
ter Mrs. Doheny met him at the door,
saying her husband was talking to
Plunkett in the latter,s room.
Mrs. Doheny said later she had heard
an unusual noise in the house, but
thought it was the sound of a piece of
furniture being overturned. She was
about rs feet from the death room at
the time and did not recognize it as a
pistol shot.
Mrs. Doheny also disclosed that she
and her husband had visited Plunkett
In his Los Angeles apartment Saturday
afternoon in an effort to persuade him
to go to sanitarium, and that the
meeting had ended in a verbal tilt. She
said Plunkett later telephoned the Do
heny home demanding to know 1.-The
meaning of their wanting him to go to
the sanitarium.
When DR.. Fishbaugh was shown to
the bedroom door by Mrs. Doheny they
found Plunkett standing in the hail.
You stay out of here!" he shouted,
according to DR.. Fishbaugh. The doc
tor said Plunkett wheeled then and
entered the bedroom. An instant later
a shot rang out. Dr. Fishbaueh sent
Mrs. Doheny back to the living room,
opened the bedroom door and found
the bodies Of the millionaire and his
secretary.
Elder Doheny Collapsed.
Edward L. Doheny, founder of the
huge oil business. collapsed when called
from his home across the street, re-
covered quickly from the shock and
assured his friends he would face the
situation stoically. He Is 70 years old.
His wife, mother of the younger
Doheny, remained at home.
The younger Doheny was the only
son of the oil magnate. He was mar
ried to Miss Lucy Smith, Pasadena
society girl, in 1914, two years before
he was graduated from the University
OF Southern California. Young Doheny
was indicted on bribery charge as the
result of the Teapot Dome and Elk
Hills oil lease scandal several years ago,
but the charge was dropped. His home
was completed only recently at a cost
of 100000.
Plunkett had been classmate of
the younger Doheny and had been In
kis employ for about is years. Plum
kett was about 33 years old
Besides his widow and parents,
DOheny Is survived by five children