Evening star., 1936-09-23
WOMAN WOUNDED
HELD RECOVERING
AS HUSBAND DIES
J. H. Fling Fatally Shoots
Self After Firing Bullet
Into Wife's Face.
.EX.POLICEMAN SOUGHT
CUSTODY OF CHILD
Mother Now Faces Problem of
Caring for Two Small
Boys.

Recovering from a bullet wound in
the face, inflicted by her estranged
husband before he killed himself yes
terday, Mrs. Ada Fling, 80, today
faced the problem of caring for the
two small children whose welfare led
to the fatal quarrel with her husband.
The father, James Harry Fling, 4l,
a former policeman, died in George
town Hospital three hours after ne
shot his wife and then fired bullet
through his own temple.
Meanwhile the children-Jimmie, 6,
and Eugene, 12-are living with their
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene
Fling at No. Watkins avenue, Chevy
Chase. Md.
Taking the younger child with him,
Fling went to see his wife yesterday
at 1881 Thirtieth street, where she
rented a room after leaving him sew
eral years ago.
Urged Wife to Return.
Complaining that the small boy was
not receiving proper care. Fling urged
his wife to return to him or permit
him to place Jimmie in home where
he could attend school.
Mrs. Fling, police said. objected,
and this resulted in heated quarrel
between the couple, who we're seated
on a bench in front OF the wife's
rooming house. Suddenly Fling drew
a pistol from his pocket and shot his
wife in the jaw. AS she fell he fired
a bullet into his temple and toppled
down a flight of steps into the base
ment areaway.
Jimmie, witness to the shooting,
turned and fed wildly down Thirtieth
street.
MY father has shot my mother.
Now I haven't any father or mother"
he screamed.
The child ran to NJ street and then
turned back to the home of his grand
mother, Mrs. Drusilla Nichols, at 1860
Avon place Unable to care for him.
Mrs. Nichols put him on bus and
sent him to the home of the fathers
parents in Chevy Chase. Md.
Lookout Broadcast.
The police, however, not knowing
where the boy had gone. and fearing
that he might be injured, broadcast
a general lookout for him.
Several hours later it was learned
that he had reached the home Of
his grandparents safely. His brother.
Eugene. II, had been living there
for several months.
Mrs. Fling moved to the Thirtieth
street address after separating from
her husband, who lived at SOB Sixth
street northeast.
Police said they found several letters
from Fling to his wife, complaining
that the boy, Jimmie. was not receiv-
ing proper attention and urging her
to return to him. They learned, how
ever, that Mrs. Fling called lawyer
yesterday morning and discussed the
possibility of instituting legal pro-
ceedings to secure custody of the
children. 1t was not known whether
Fling had learned of this when he
shot her.
Quarels Reported.
Neighbors said Fling frequently
quarreled with his wife and that on
one occasion he cut her on the face
with knife.
Fling was appointed to the police
force in September, 1919, following
service overseas with the Air Corps
during the World War. In 1925 he
was burned on the face and overcome
by smoke while rescuing small col
ored girl from burning building. The
District Commissioners commended
him for his heroism.
In April. 1880, he was dismissed
from the police force for failing to
pay doctors bill.
For about two months last year he
and Mrs. Fling operated q restaurant
at 2l25 G street.