Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-04
DEATHS MOURNED
BY TWO WOMEN
Veterans Body Claimed by
Wife After Waitress Dis
covers Tragedy.

The death of Joseph w. Trumbley,
32-year-old World War veteran, who
ended his life by inhaling gas in his
bachelor apartment, at 1865 Columbia
road, late yesterday, was mourned to-
day by two women.
One was his wife, Mrs Gertrude
Trumbley, from whom he had been
separated since last February, while
the other was Miss Nellie T. Howard,
"a, whom he had known for the past
two months.
Miss Howard, waitress in an up
town restaurant, discovered that Trum-
bley had killed himself She stopped at
his apartment on her way to work, to
take him necktie which he had asked
her to buy for him. He had told her
he would have "a surprise" for her.
Finds Body on Bed.
"When I unlocked the door and
started to push it Open" Miss Howard
said, "I noticed something seemed to
be sort of holding it back. found,
when I got inside, that several pillows
were piled against it. :.
IT thought that was strange, but 1t
didn't occur to me that anything was
wrong. Joe was lying on the bed, APP
parently asleep, and the radio was
turned on louder than I'd ever heard 1t
before.
Il called. Joe! JOEL but got no an
swer. Then 1 shook him, but he didn't
move For the first time, noticed the
odor of gas, and I realized something
was wrong. i screamed.
Women Turn Of Jets.
Miss Towards cries were heard by
Mrs. Edna Rosenberg, occupant OF an
other apartment, who assisted her IN
turning of the gas and opening the
windows. The fumes were flowing from
two lets on a stove in the kitchenette.
Members of the fire rescue squad,
summoned by the women, worked over
Trumbley for about an hour In
futile effort to revive him. he was
pronounced dead by DR.. G. w. culver,
1875 Columbia road. -
On the bureau, facing the bed, was
a photograph of Mrs. Trumbley, Near
by was a note addressed TO ner ana
bearing the following vague message:
Sorry, 1 have nothing to say.
Mrs. Trumbley, who lives at 1872 K
street. was notified by tenth precinct
police. She went directly to her nus
bands apartment and claimed his BODY.
The widow, an employe of the War De-
partment said she planned TO nave
her husband buried in Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery, probably Friday.
On Friendly Terms, She Says.
The Trumbleys were married in Feb
ruary, 1924 Since their separation,
Mrs. Trumbley said, they had been on
friendly terms, although she had not
heard from her husband lately.
Miss Howard, who lives at 9l9 sixth
street northeast, came here from Nash
vile, Tenn, in July. and met Trumbley
about a month later. He talked con-
stantly of his wife and their separa-
tion," she said, land I believe that's
what caused him to kill himself. l know
it worried him, because we were gooo
friends and he told me how ne telt.
Trumbley. a native of Elgin. Kans.,
enlisted in the Marine Corps at Paris
Island, S. c., June 8. 1918. He was serl-
ously wounded November IL, 1919
Armistice day-after having gone
through the ST. Mihiel and the Meuse-
Argonne offensives without injury.
He was discharged May 81, 1919, be-
cause of physical defects. but re-enllsted
November 2, 1920 On March 10. 1928.
however. he was again discharged for
the same reason.
Trumbley his wife said. spent con-
siderable time in Government hospitals.
his wounds having seriously affected his
health.