TRAGEDY IN AMERICA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5169, 24 August 1927, Page 4

TRAGEDY IN AMERICA.

JACK DEMPSEY'S BROTHER.

SHOOTS HIMSELF AND WIFE.

The following is from the New York Times :

Apparently in a spell of temporary insanity to a recurring attack of an illness tp which he has been subject for several years, John Dempsey, brother of the former heavyweight champion, fatally shot his 21-year-old wife Edna in a rooming house. He turned the gun on himself, dying instantly.

The Dempseys had been estranged for ‘about a year. They are survived by a two-year-old son, Bruce.

Jack Dempsey was deeply affected when notified at his training camp at White Sulphur Springs, Saratoga Lake. He came at once to Schenectady and positively identified the bodies.

The boxer ordered his brother’s body to be sent for burial to Salt Lake City, his former home, and Mrs Dempsey’s to be taken to Green Island.

It was announced that Jack Dempsey would cease his training activities for a few daysi because of the tragedy.

ARGUMENT PRECEDES SHOOTING

Dempsey had been living in the rooming house at 847 Emmet Street for several months with her son. Dempsey came tp the city last month and had made infrequent calls on his wife, the landlady, Mrs Frank K. Prievo said.

This morning, Mrs Prievo told the police, John Dempsey came to the house and had an argument with his wife. Mrs Dempsey tore up a letter which she had in her band, remarking to the landlady as her husband left her side and entered the apartment : “I have torn up a cheque that belonged 1 to John.” .

In a. few minutes Mrs Dempsey also went into the apartment. Soon the landlady heard three shots. She rushed into the room. She found Mrs Dempsey still alive and the man dead on the floor beside her.

Mrs Prievo telephoned' for an ambulance, but Mrs Dempsey had died before it arrived.

NEWS WITHHELD FROM BOXER.

Uncertainty as to the identification led the police at first to ask that the information be witheld from the former heavyweight champion when they telephoned his camp. Both John Dempsey and his wife were known to have spoken of the- relationship, and members of the boxer’s training party gave partial verification to the f,act.

■ Finally he was informed, and he went at once to the undertaking rooms, where the bodies had been taken. When he came out he- said, with tears in his eyes : “This is a bad jolt, but there is nothing to do except bear up under it and carry on with my training as best I can.” Jack Dempsey was enjoying a rest at his camp just before noon when word came over the telephone of the Schenectady tragedy. Immediately plans were made for a. quick trip by automobile over the twenty miles between the training camp and Schenectady.

In tlie roadster of Dave Shade, the middleweight fighter, and accompanied by his manager, Leo. P. Flynn, amt” Dr. W. G. Fralick, the boxer sped to Schenectady, where he arranged for the transportation of John Dempsey’s body to Salt Lake City. Police Chief William H. Funston, formerly of the Ne,w York Police Department, greeted. Jack Dempsey on his arrival and personally guided the former champion through the necessary legal formalities. James P. Sinnott, Secretary of the New York PoliceDepartment under Commissioner Joseph Warren, also was at hand. SHADOW ON TRAINING CAMP. Jack Dempsey is broken up by the tragedy. The first news of thei affair came as a., stunning shock, and then the former heavyweight king . gave himself over to tears. Returning to camp late this afternoon, Dempsey’s eyes were red from crying, and his grief spread .to other members of the camp. Manager Flynn, Chief Funston, and Dr. William C. Treqder; Schenectady coroner in attendance, aided the boxer in the identification at the undertaking establishment. The latter shunned several newspaper photographers and a number of newspaper men keeping vigil at the place in anticipation of the former champion’s arrival, He had changed from Shade’s easily identified slate-coloured roadster to Chief Funston’s car for the trip from Schenectady Police Headquarters to the undertaking establishment. When the identification and transportation plans were completed Dempsey slipped quietly away and back to his camp. “It’s terrible, a. terrible thing. He was sick. He hasn’t been well of late and was subject to moods. He must have been in one of those moods when he did it ; must have been out of his mind,” the ex-ehampion reiterated at the camp, where the thought of his brother seemed to possess him. This was the second time violent death had come to members of his family. Several years ago another bi other, Bruce, died of stab wounds received in an affray in Salt Lake City. Jack Dempsey has twe other brothers, Bernard, the eldest, and Joe. The fighter had given his brother John, and also John’s- wife, frequent financial support, and paid the expenses of an operation which John Dempsey underwent three years ago in an effort to cure his trouble. Jack aided his brother for some time while the latter operated a gymnasium in I.os Angeles to train boxers. MOTHER PROSTRATED BY NEWS. Word that John Dempsey had killed his estranged wife and committed suicide at Schenectady has ‘prostrated the aged mother of the Dempseys. John Dempsey left Salt Lake City after being discharged from the County Hospital, where he was treated as a drug addict by Dr. George N. Roberts. He was discharged as “cured,” and Dr. 'Roberts said seemed exceedingly happy in the thought that his condition might result in a reconciliation w:ith his estranged wife, nml that this would also bring him in contact with his son.