Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-18
Robert S. Montgomery's
Father Provides for Family
of Slain Policeman.
ORCHESTRA KEPT PLAYING
TO PREVENT STAMPEDE
Witnesses Tell How Clubman
Killed Patrolman Taylor
and Himself.

While Charles Garbett. manager of
the fashionable Club Chantecler. on
Thomas Circle, continued to fight for
his life at Emergency Hospital today,
police were endeavoring to learn what
caused Robert S. Montgomery, 26-ycar-
old scion of a prominent Boston and
New York family, to shoot Garbett, kill
a policeman and then commit suicide
early yesterday.
That Montgomery, who had twice
failed to pass an examination to become
a certified public accountant, was in the
depths of despair was indicated by sew
eral notes found in his room at the
Racquet Club, where he had been stay
ing for the last three months.
Admitted Inferiorty.
In one of his letters Montgomery had
penciled an admission that ne could
not hope 10 rank. with his father, Col.
Robert H. Montgom rry, we'll known at
torney, clubman and expert accountant,
whom he termed genius"
There's only one genius in num-
Der of generations" he wrote. THE
colonel is it. The next one can't be ex-
pected for 100 years. I've tried to live
up to it. I can't. He ranks don't"
Another note, written to Montgomery
by DR.. George D. Reynolds, Boston
physician, warned the worried young
man he was in poor health and pre-
scribed treatment for him.
MOntDOmerY firrd two bullets into his
chest. just below the heart, after he
had wounded Garbett and killed Police
man Jesse l. Taylor of the third pre-
cinct. who, with Policeman Lest.r Parks,
had been detailed to watch the night
club
Two men called at the TAYLOR home
today and, after identifying themselves
as representatives Of Col. Montgomery.
father of the slayer, said they wanted
to arrange to pay the expenses of the
policeman's funeral
Mrs. Ada Taylor, widow Of the police
man, was absent, however, having gone
to complete arrangements for the
funeral, and the men said they would
.retaIEn later- They did not give their
names.
Argued Over Table.
The triple shooting, according to wit
neSses, climaxed an argument between
Montgomery and Garbstt over the lat
ter's refusal to seat him at a table
next to the dance floor.
Earlier in the evening Montgomery
and Mrs Eugene Smith, a socially
prominent Washington matron, visited
the club, where they met Miss Norvell
Munford, Capital debutante, and H.
Irvine Keiser, I'd. of Baltimore Keiser
and Miss Munfcrd, who is member Of
a UirniY1ia ia hod
at the Shoreham Hotel short time
before.
The party danced until about mid
night, when Mrs. Smith asked to be
taken home Montgomery. according
to Mrs. Smith, had been drinking before
he called for her at the Chevy Chase
home of Mr.. and Mrs. John Whalen,
with whom she had dined. While at
the Chantecler, Mrs. Smith added,
Montgomery took three more drinks
from flask which he carried in his
pocket
Asked to Be Taken Home.
Because Montgomery was drinking,
Mrs. Smith, who lives in the 2400 block
OF kalcrama road, explained, she asked
nm to take her home. AS they rode
away from the night club in taxicab,
Mrs. Smith added, Montgomery insisted
ne did not feel like sleeping.
When he returned to the club Keiser
ana MISS Munford had gone. Never
tneieSs, he asked for a table, but Gar
Dett told him no tables were available
warning the manager there's going to
De some shooting around here" Mont
gomery left. He is believed to have
gone TO his room and obtained his re-
voiVer, which he carried in an arm
holster
He returned few minutes later and
repeated his demand for a Ia BILE. When
Garrett repeated his previous state
ment that none was available, Mont
gomery drew his pistol.
Don't shoot" Garbett cried.
Montgomery's response was to level
the gun at the manager and pull the
trigger. Garbett dropped to the floor
with wound in his right side.
Orchestra browns Noise.
Without word Montgomery turned
and started down the stairs. At the
time OF the shooting the orchestra led
by Harry Albert, was playing You're
Driving Me Crazy" with such enthu-
slasm that the report of the weapon if
IL was heard at all by the counles who
thronged the dance floor inst few feet
away, sounded like a thud.
1t was heard however nv Albert
whose presence of mind averted what
might have developed into a manic II
knew there mad been shooting" he
Continued on Page 2, Column 81