Evening star., 1948-11-05

preOlcCed GOV. Dewey would &c
From the left, behind DR.. Ga.
Emery Ruby.
Suicide Verdict
odoy in Jake I
Former kots' Fielder
Shoots Self While
In Police Custody
STORY ON PowELL's Baseball
Career in Sports Section.
Page C-I
The District coroner today was
expected to write suicide" as
the final entry in the record
book of Jake Powell, the erst-
while happy-go-lucky local boy
who slugged his way from Dis
trict sandlots to baseball star
dom in the major leagues.
Powell shot himself in the chest
and temple at police headquarters
late yesterday, after the blond di-
yorcee who had hoped to be his
bride told him he had reached "the
end Of your rope" and that she was
through with him following his ar
rest on bad check charges. He died
instantly.
Deputy Coroner Richard M. Ros-
enberg said he would issue q certifi-
cate of suicide today.
A disarming grin was on Powell S
face as he offered his companion
his last 81, because won't need
it any more" and told her he
was going to end it all"
Two detectives standing nearby
were lulled by the grin and thought
nothing of it when the former base
ball hero reached into his shirt
! pocket where .25-caliber automatic
was concealed. He fired the two
shots and slumped to the floor be-
! fore the detectives. David Higgins
and Frank Dodson, could reach
his side
The body was removed to the
Warner E. Pumphey funeral home,
8434 Georgia avenue, Silver Spring.
Private funeral services will be
held there at 2 pm. tomorrow.
Burial will be in the st. Johns Cath
olic Cemetery, Forest Glen, Md. The
burial services also will be private.
Powells companion. Mrs. jose
Iphine r. Amber, "a, co-owner of a
restaurant in Deland. Fla, told the
detectives she accompanied him to
Washington Sunday expecting to be
married in Montgomery County
Monday. They registered at the
Ambassador Hotel as "Mr. and Mrs.
Powell she said. They met last
August. she told police, while Powell
was playing with a minor league
club in Florida.
Mrs. Amber told police Powell said
he was divorced. She did not learn
that this was untrue until after
his death. Mrs. Powell, who mar
ried the baseball star in 1882, lives
in Silver Spring, Md. She said
she and her husband were not con-
Itemplating divorce and that she ex-
pected him to return to their home,
If he did not find winter employ
ment in Florida. The Powells have
a 15-year-old daughter.
On Monday, Tuesday and We'd
nesday, Powell told Mrs. Amber he
was trying to locate Montgom-
cry County judge, who was an old
friend, to off1ciate at their mar
riage. Yesterday. Powell said the
judge was on vacation and sug-
gested they 60 to New York to be
married by another old friend
| AS they checked out of the hotel,
Powell cashed a $25 check on a
Dayton tOhio) bank. Previously
the hotel had cashed checks total
ing more than $500 on the same
bank.
Police Notified.
The hotel credit manager made a
precautionary telephone call to the
Dayton bank and found Powell had
no account there. Police were noti-
fed. and John Garrison, assistant
manager. followed the couple to
Union Station. Detectives, mean
while, took from their files a war
rant sworn out in June, 1947, by
Benjamin Goldberg, proprietor Of
pharmacy in the TOO block OF
Georgia avenue NV, charging
Powell with passing a SIS bad check
Powell and Mrs Amber had pur-
chased tickets for New York ano
were waiting for their train when the
detectives arrived. He smiled wher
they told him he was under arrest
you've got me. I guess I'll q
to prison." he said He willingly
accompanied the officers to theil
car. Detective Higgins said HI
frisked Powell in routine search
. for gun but did not pat his shirt
pocket.
! Il just missed the gum" Detec.
tive Higgins said.
Mrs. Amber came to headquarter
in taxicab a few minutes afte
Powell had been booked and takei
to the squadroom for questioning
She asked to be allowed to talk t.
him and the detectives admitted he
to the room.
: In Good Hum0r.
They talked. for about Is min
utes seated in chairs" Detectiv'
) Dodson said. Powell seemed to b.
| in good humor-laughing and jok
{ ing. Then they stood up and starte,
walking toward us. Just before the,
] came to the doorway in which Hig
gins and / were standing watch
. ing them, they stopped for fey
! more words. The woman turne'
a