Shoots Woman and Kills Self in Rage

By Camden NJ History
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Philadelphia Inquirer, November 8, 1913 -- Shoots Woman and Kills Self in Rage
Philadelphia Inquirer, November 8, 1913
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Rebuked for Drinking Camden Man Writes Farewell Note and Commits Double Crime. Enraged because his common law wife rebuked him for heavy drinking, John Smith, aged about 40 years, wrote a farewell note then shot the woman and killed himself at their home, 311 Cleveland Terrace, Camden, last night. Both were taken to Cooper Hospital, where he died several hours after being admitted. The woman is not expected to recover. The crazed man sent three bullets into the woman, two lodging in her chest and the other in her head back of the right ear. He then pressed the pistol to his left breast and pulled the trigger, and as he lay on the floor sent another bullet into his left side. While hospital doctors were operating on the man Detective Schregler found the following note in his pocket: "To whom it may concern—Send word to Mrs. R. Harrington, 2728 West Dauphin street, Philadelphia; also to Alexander Smith, 802 Somerset street, Philadelphia. My wife and child live in Odessa, Del., Box 95, Pearl Irene Cochran is Mrs. George Parker, now known as Mrs. John Smith. The children are all my own. We have lived together for better or worse for fifteen years. —John Smith" The Irene Cochran referred to is said by the police to be the wounded woman. Her condition is such that she could give no information to the police about the shooting except to say that she was Mrs. John Smith and that her husband shot her. Smith would not say a word until the doctors told him he was going to die. He then gave his name and became silent until death came. The four children referred to lived at the Cleveland Terrace house with the couple. The eldest is 9 years old. They are being cared for at the City Hall. None of the children seemed to know much about the tragedy, except that their parents had words at the dinner table because the man had come home drunk. He left the table angry, they said, and the woman followed. A minute later five shots rang out, and when the police arrived they found the man and woman stretched out on the floor. In the hands of the man was a revolver with all of the cartridges exploded.

Rebuked for Drinking Camden Man Writes Farewell Note and Commits Double Crime

Enraged because his common law wife rebuked him for heavy drinking, John Smith, aged about 40 years, wrote a farewell note then shot the woman and killed himself at their home, 311 Cleveland Terrace, Camden, last night. Both were taken to Cooper Hospital, where he died several hours after being admitted. The woman is not expected to recover.

The crazed man sent three bullets into the woman, two lodging in her chest and the other in her head back of the right ear. He then pressed the pistol to his left breast and pulled the trigger, and as he lay on the floor sent another bullet into his left side.

While hospital doctors were operating on the man Detective Schregler found the following note in his pocket:

To whom it may concern—Send word to Mrs. R. Harrington, 2728 West Dauphin street, Philadelphia; also to Alexander Smith, 802 Somerset street, Philadelphia. My wife and child live in Odessa, Del., Box 95, Pearl Irene Cochran is Mrs. George Parker, now known as Mrs. John Smith. The children are all my own. We have lived together for better or worse for fifteen years. — JOHN SMITH

The Irene Cochran referred to is said by the police to be the wounded woman. Her condition is such that she could give no information to the police about the shooting except to say that she was Mrs. John Smith and that her husband shot her. Smith would not say a word until the doctors told him he was going to die. He then gave his name and became silent until death came.

The four children referred to lived at the Cleveland Terrace house with the couple. The eldest is 9 years old. They are being cared for at the City Hall. None of the children seemed to know much about the tragedy, except that their parents had words at the dinner table because the man had come home drunk.

He left the table angry, they said, and the woman followed. A minute later five shots rang out, and when the police arrived they found the man and woman stretched out on the floor. In the hands of the man was a revolver with all of the cartridges exploded.

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