Evening star., 1949-12-24
Divorced Wife Shoots
Dean al Georgia u.
And Ex-Secfetary
ly the As.ocioisd Press

MRS. kathleen DreWry, 40. told
Ed Thilenius, Athens Banner
Herald reporter, that she, the
dean and their 17-year-old son
Milton. had dinner together last
night. Mrs. Drewry said she and
the dean agreed On a recon-
ciliation.
1--WE were going to be married
again soon." she said.
Charges to Be Delayed.
Mrs. Drewry said the dean bade
her goodnight, wished her a good
nights sleep, and then left for his
apartment.
Before going to bed, I called
John to tell him how happy !
was and I was sure of a good
nights Sleep" she continued
But the phone did not answer
I knew where he was"
Mrs. Drewry said she followed
him to the Thurmond home,
walked into the living room and
fired at Drewry first, then turned
the gun on Miss Thurmond.
Mrs. Drewry is being treated
for shock and held under guard
at st. Mary's Hospital on open
charges. Sheriff Tommy Huff said
formal charges will not be filed
until later. pending outcome of
the condition of the dean and
Miss Thurmond.
Able to Walk to Ambulance.
The widely known journalism
dean. the university's administra-
tor of the Peabody Awards radio's S
Pulitzer prizes), was conscious
when taken to the hospital. He
was able to walk from the Thur
mond home to an ambulance.
Police Chief Clarence Roberts
said Dean Drewry told officers:
MY divorced wife walked into
the room where I was sitting
talking to Miss Thurmond and
abruptly began shooting at us.
She called us horrible Names"
The shooting came on the eve
of what would have been the
Drewrys' wedding anniversary.
They were married "a years ago
today. Their divorce was granted
July Is, 1949.
Threatened to "Take Something"
Chief Roberts said police learned
OF the shooting from TN. Philpt
a friend Mrs. Drewry called i'm
mediately after she returned home
The chief said when officers went
to pick up Mrs. Drewry she
threatened Ito take something and
end her own life"
He quoted her as saying only
the arrival of the police stopped
her.
DIR. Jonathan C. Rogers, presi-
dent of the university. said the
shooting was unfortunate but
would not affect Dean Drewry's S
position at the university.
Mrs. Drewry instituted the di-
vorce proceedings. charging her
husband with treating her in q
''cruel and humiliating manner.
constantly nagging and complain
ing" Her petition told of previous
separations and said Dean Drewry
once threatened to force her from
their home.
The dean filed petition asking
for separate divorce. He merely
denied his wife's charges. A joint
divorce was granted.
Both Expected to Live.
DR.. Harry Talmadge reported
that the secretary was in a more
critical condition than the dean
but that both were doing all right
and are expected to pull through. u
Dean Drewry. a 1920 graduate
of the university, worked for the
Associated Press in Atlanta briefly
In 1925 as State mail editor.
He began his climb to fame
among Journalism instructors in
1884 when he became head of the
department Of journalism at the
University of Georgia, which pro-
vided the foundation for the
Henry w. Grady School of Jour-
nalism In 1910.
Before he rose to head the
school, he served as president of
the American Association OF
Teachers of Journalism in 1880.
Widely known as Author.
He is widely known as an author
and as a picturesque instructor OF
journalism. A Phi Beta Kappa
he is the organizer and university
director of both the Georgia Scho-
lastic Press Association and the
Georgia Collegiate Press Associa-
ton.
To many of his students. the
middle sized, bespectacled dean is
known as Father John" His
white suit and white oxfords. con-
trasting with a black tie. are a
summer tradition on the Univer-
S1ty OF Georgia campus.
He is a member of the First
Baptist Church, where he teaches
o Sunday school class.
Included among the books he
has written are Concerning the
Fourth Estate" and Post Biog-
raphies of Famed Journalists"
With Frank Luther Mott, dean
of the Missouri School of Journal
ism.. he edited anthologies of the
leading news stories of 1884 and
1886. He and DR.. Mott also
edited the collection "Headlining
America" in 1887 and 1910.
Relief Rolls in Maryland