Evening star., 1940-04-01
Policeman Testifies
Jerome Howard Told
Of Staying Mother
Coroner's Jury
Informed Man
Seemed Unbalanced
BULLETIN.

The coroners jury today de-
cided Jerome Howard was re-
eponsible for the murder of his
mother, Mrs. Bessie C. Howard.
and ordered the youth held for
the action of the grand jury.
Proceedings to have the son
transferred Immediately to CAL
1inger Hospital we're instituted
shortly after the jury returned
Its verdict. They considered the
case IS minutes.
Jerome Howard said he killed
his mother. Policeman william P.
Doran testified today tthe coroner's
inquest in the Staying of Mrs. Bessie
c. Howard, 66, who was found
slashed to death in the bedroom of
her home at BIS Taylor street NV.
Saturday afternoon.
Relating conversation he had
with the son before. the 25-year -old
youth was taken from his home,
Pvt. Doran of the 10th precinct told
the coroner's jury:
He told me he had murdered his
mother and that she was upstairs"
The body of Mrs Howard, divorced
wife of Government attorney, was
discovered on the floor of her second
story bedroom. Her throat and face
had been slashed repeatedly, in
vestigators believed, with a butcher
knife found few feet away.
Son Believed Unbalanced.
Policeman Doran said the son
talked incoherently and appeared to
be mentally unbalanced.
He asked me not to let any one
harm him." the officer testified.
The youths father, William j. How
ard, an attorney in the Interior De-
partment. told the jury that he and
Mrs. Howard had been separated for
sbout II years and that at no time
In that period had he seen his wife,
who obtained divorce in Colorado
In February, 1899, except for about
10 minutes last summer.
The son slumped in his chair at a
table in front of the coroner's bench,
his dull eyes shifting slowly from
the face OF his father to the coroner
and back. His blank expression
never changed when his father tes-
tilted:
THE last I saw of Jerome was
when he was little boy, or
years Of age, except for 10 minutes
last summer and a brief period
Saturday highland today"
Mr.. Howard visited his son in
the tenth precinct cell block sew
eral hours after his former wife
had been found murdered.
OF the conversation he had with
the youth Saturday night, Mr.. How
ard told the jury:
II asked the boy, Son, what can
I do for you?'
HE answered. I'd like to get out
Of here
THAT was all that was said be.
tween U.s."
Patient At st. Elizabeth's.
Mr.. Howard said he and the slain
woman were married for 40 years
He also stated Mrs. Howard was a
patient at st. Elizabeth's Hospital
for approximately 80 days a number
Of years ago.
DR.. Alfred C. Norcross, who said
he had attended Jerome "since he
was born," testified that he visited
the Howard's home on February II
to treat the son.
He was restless and nervous and
said he couldn't Sleep" DR.. Norcross
stated. He talked reasonably
enough, but he did begin saying
something about an imaginary rob-
berry that they had had there. He
seemed to think some one had taken
his and his mothers money and his
clothes"
In answer to a question by At
torney James A. O'Shea, counsel for
the youth, DR.. Norcross testified:
Il thought he seemed to be men,
tally sick, though at that time there
appeared no definite fixation."
billiard Stokes, reporter for a
local newspaper, who visited the
Howard residence Saturday after.
noon after that newspaper had beer
informed by neighbors of the How.
ards that something suspicious" ap.
parently was going on at the house