Two Sensational Killings

Grand Jury Ordered Release of Jessie Brown and R. A. Humphries.

Jacksonville, Fla., May 7.-Two sensational killing episodes were ended here today when the grand jury ordered the release of Miss Jessie Brown and R. A. Humphries.

Miss Brown shot and killed Earl P. Adams, her sweetheart, following the announcement of Adams' engagement to another young woman.

Humphries shot and killed both his 16-year-old wife and Thomas McManus, when he found the two together in his home. The mother of Mrs. Humphries committed suicide because of grief over her daughter's death.


Shot Man Who Eloped With Daughter.

Washington, May 7-Irving Beck of this city was shot, fatally it is believed, by Albert Willard, with whose 14-year-old daughter Beck, who is 33 years old, recently eloped. Beck refused to let Willard know where he was keeping his girl wife. Willard is under arrest.

--Warren Evening Mirror, Warren, Pennsylvania, May 7, 1909, page 6.


Broken Marriage Promise is Fatal
Florida Girl Shoots Actor Who Jilted Her.

Jacksonville, Fla., April 21.-Falling closely on the heels of an announcement of the approaching marriage of Earl P. Adams, a popular actor and stage director of a company now playing in this city, to Miss Elizabeth Bagley, Miss Jessie Brown, a well known young woman to whom Adams had been previously engaged, shot and killed him at her home, where, it is alleged, Adams went to explain to her the approaching marriage to Miss Bagley. Adams was shot several times by Miss Brown and he died almost instantly.

Miss Brown was arrested and placed in the county jail. One peculiar feature of the case is that Miss Brown is a sister of Miss May Brown, who was killed here in 1905 by her lover, who at the same time shot her mother, Mrs. Freeman, and Detective Cahoon.

--The Mansfield News, Mansfield, Ohio, April 21, 1909, page 2.