Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17
Angered on Being Told No
Tables Were Available,
New Havenite Leaves, but
Returns to Stay.
HOST, PLEADING IN VAIN,
Is HIT POINT BLANK
Visitor, Rushing Out, Kills J. L..
Taylor of Second Precinct, Who
Seeks to Intercept Him, Then
Runs Into Street Behind Taxi
and Commits Suicide.

Apparently enraged because there
was no table available for him
and his debutante companion at
the Club Chantecler when he ar
rived there about o'clock this
morning, R. S. Montgomery, a
registered guest at the Racquet
Club, whipped out a 45-caliber
pistol, shot the manager of the
night club in the stomach, sent
another bullet into the heart of a
policeman responding to riot
call and then turned the weapon
on himself and took his own life.
Montgomery and the policeman.
r. L, Taylor of the second pre-
cinct, were pronounced dead when
they arrived at Emergency Hos
pital.
The night club manager, Charles
Garbett, is in a critical condition
with bullet wound in his
stomach.
Accounts differed as to the
cause of the shooting.
AS far as could be learned from
the garbled accounts of confused
witnesses the shooting occurred
when Montgomery arrived at the
club, asked for a table and was
told there were none avsilable.
Returns and Shoots.
Montgomery left, later to return.
He pulled a revolver and aimed at
the manager.
Throwing up his hands, Garbett
cried: "Oh, please don't shoot!"
Montgomery's response was to
open fire and Garbett crumpled
on the floor.
Whirling around, Montgomery
dashed down the steps. About hatl
way down he was met by Police
man Jesse Taylor of the second
precinct, who attempted to capture
him.
Montgomery fired upon the
policeman, who fell seriously
wounded. He dashed into the
street, darted behind taXicab,
turned the gun upon himself and
pulled the trigger.
Eyewitness Story.
His act was seen by Leo j. Hutz.
taxi driver, who said Montgomery shot
himself twice-once III the stomach and
the other time in the chest.
Montgomery'S arrival at the resort,
which was crowded at the time, was
described to police by William Ben
jamin. a colored porter, who said;
The man was accompanied by
woman when he walked up to me and
asked me to check his hat. He asked
me if he could get table, and when
1 said No he asked to see the man
ager AS he spoke, / saw gun pro-
! truding from a hostler beneath his
| coat.
before I called Mr.. Garbett the man
disappeared 1 think he left to take
| his girl friend home. He returned
short time later, however, and again
asked for a table
Adams said it was then that Mont
! gomery started the argument with GER
bett that resulted in the shooting.
Gives Another Version.
According to Charles C. O'Donnell of
1929 Sixteenth street patron at the
club, who was standing at the cashiers
cage discussing his check with the man
ager. Montgomery stepped to the man
ayers side and fired without warning
He said that there had been no dis
cussion between the manager and Mont
gomery in his presence.
The three victims were taken IN
Emergency Hospital. where Garbett was
given a blood TRANSMISSION early today in
an attempt to save his life.
Montgomery, it was learned later, was
accompanied to the night club by Miss
Norvel Munford. a Washington debut
tante, a member of all old Virginia
/ family.
He was identified at Emergency Hos
pital by an Identification card found in
wallet he carried His clothing bore
labels of store in New Haven.
Policeman Taylor had been mem
Der of the force about six years. He was
80 years old. He lives at tbs Madison
street widow and 16-year-oid son
survive him
The shooting of the night club man
ager took place before a large crowd
of the socially prominent younger set
of the Capital. The Club Chantecler
, for several years has been the fashion
able rendezvous on Saturday evenings
Of scores of young men and women
prominent in the Capitals social life.