Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31
Drank Poison Night Before
She Shot Him, Police
Officer Asserts.
STAGED DRINKING PARTY
DURING WIFE'S ABSENCE
Changes Story, Admitting Treat
ment at Hospital Under Name
Of Sarah Young"

Mrs. Tillie Wilson. 23. and Leonard
Hoffman. %. also married, attempted
to end their lives by swallowing poison
the night before she shot him with q
policeman's revolver In a field near
Rhode Island avenue and Fourteenth
street northeast, she declared yesterday.
The statement was made TO Sergt.
B. H. Jones. who questioned Mrs. Will
son, the mother Of a year-old son, at
the House of Detention. where she
has been held since the shooting which
occurred shortly after O'Clock Friday
morning.
Hoffman. who still Is in a serious
condition at Emergency Hospital. adj
mitted that Mrs. Wilson attempted
suicide, but denied having swallowed
any OF the poison himself, according
to the detective.
Mrs. Wilson said that she visited
Hoffman's apartment at 1921 Belmont
street Thursday afternoon. while his
wife, who is said to be a telephone
operator, was at work.
Says Hoffman Proposed Suicide.
After she and Hoffman, the father
OF a Swear -old son. had consumed two
pints Of whisky Mrs. Wilson related
Hoffman went into the bath room and
returned a few moments later with a
bottle Of medicant.
Telling her that~se loved her and
pointing out that, sc they were mar
ried. they could never be happy to-
gether, Hoffman, according to Mrs
Wilson, proposed that they kill them
selves.
Hoffman profIered her the bottle of
poison Mrs. Wilson said. and she swal-
lowed some of it. She handed it back
TO him, she added, and he also drank
quantity of 1t.
Alarmed, Mrs. Wilson called the
telephone operator on duty in the apart
ment house, she went on, and asked
her to summon an ambulance.
Discrepancy in Story.
At this point in Mrs. Wilson'S story,
an unexplained discrepancy appeared
She said that the poison failed TO make
her or Hoffman i'll, and that they
finally decided to 90 for ride in his
ment house, she added, she informed
the telephone operator that the request
for an ambulance was only q Joke
According to Hoffman however. Mrs.
Wilson was treated at the hospital
under the name Of Sarah Young"
Sergt. Jones checked the institutions
records, he said, and found that
woman Oy JlaC name received treat
ment for poisoning.
Confronted with this fact, Mrs Will
son. according to the detective. adj
mitted that she was the Sarah Young
in question, but did not explain why
she had failed to say so in her previous
statement.
Adheres 10 Shooting Story.
In her interview with Sergt. Jones.
Mrs. Wilson adhered to the account of
the shooting which she gave Seret.
Thomas Sweeney Of the homicide squad
the previous day.
That story was that she, Hoffman
and Policeman Charles B. Kimball of
the twelfth precinct were staging q
drinking party in the field when the
shooting occurred
Thus far. Kimballs superiorS have
taken no action against him. And
none will be taken. it was explained
at police headquarters, until investiga-
CATION Of the case has been completed
Upon completion of the probe. it was
added, report will be submitted to
Mai. Henry G. Pratt. superintendent Of
police, who will decide what action, If
any, should be taken.