San Francisco Call, Volume 110, Number 9, 9 June 1911 — C. FREDERICK KOHL IS SHOT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

C. FREDERICK KOHL IS SHOT

Mothers Former Maid Is His Assailant

FAILURE OF LAW SUITS ENRAGES WOMAN

She Lies in Wait Outside of Courtroom and Fires onCapitalist Whom She Had Sued

ACTION FOR DAMAGES RESULTS IN NONSUIT

Complaint Alleged Persecution by Defendant and Manager of Fashionable Hotel in Riverside

WOUNDED MAN SAYS HE FORGIVES HER AS CRAZY

% DO NOT WW IVI DID IT," ASSAILANT'S CRY

Can Give No Reason for Firing on Clubman in Lobby of Grant Building

Priest Whom She Summoned Is Confident That She Is ■a ' Monomaniac

C FREDERICK; KOHL, million.aire realty owner, manager of the vast estate of his mother;

Mrs. William Kohl, and a member of a half dozen clubs in this and eastern cities, was shot down and probably fatally injured at 2:35 o'clock yesterday afternoon In the entrance to the Grant building at Seventh and Market streets by . Adeie . Verge,, a French maid, formerly in the employ of the Kohl family. The woman had just learned that .the suit for heavy damages brought by her against Kohl and Frank A. Miller of Riverside had been decided against her. It is believed the woman is demented. Scores Of people were near by when the shooting took place. Kohl, In company with Miller and others, had just stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor when the woman drew a small derringer and fired, the bullet; entering his groin. He was rushed to the emergency hospital, whither the woman was brought a few minutes later for identification by her victim." ■ Kohl . recognized her ' and waved her aside with the statement that-she was not; accountable. She was . later taken to the central police station, where she is held in detinue, and where last night she was praying for the soul of her victim." Makes Dying Statement '?■! » Kohl made a dying statement at' the emergency hospital, and then at the request of; his surgeons, Drs.. H. H. Moffatt; I. W. Thorne and W. I. Terry, was removed to the Adler sanatorium, where the doctors commenced to probe for the bullet. He suffered intense pain, but did not lose consciousness at any time. ; - ■; At the.bedside of the wounded man is his wife, who was- hastily :summoned by. telephone from the Kohl home, "The Oaks," in San Mateo. She arrived by automobile as quickly as possible, after the shooting ; occurred. On ; the 7 o'clock train j came,a butler and two maids, who will render ,what, assistance they can at the hospital,■'-> ■ Mrs. William Kohl, the mother, is in Atlantic City. Frank Miller, a Riverside hotelman, who was codendent with Kohl , in the suits: brought by the woman, was prostrated by the f shooting and was confined to, his bed in his rooms at the ' Palace' hotel last evening. He bad witnessed the whole affair, having spent the day in Judge Gesford's court .here the cases- were tried. .Woman' Leaves Court * With the adjournment of court • fol- • lowing the disagreement of the jury, Adele Verge was the first to leave the courtroom and descended In the ele--vator several minutes before Kohl and Miller were ready to leave the bullying. She,lingered in the corridor on tha-" ground floor, nervously pacing the narrow hallway. She was seen and recog- ' nized :by 'J.* F. White, an.attorney in ' the Monadnock building, who was familiar i. with the ease through . his friendship for Miller. White had an errand in i the; building and continued to department 5 where. he talked with Judge Gesford • and then joined- the . party that was just leaving the courtroom.

In ''the', elevator, with, .Kohl were Miller, -White,-R.*W. Gillogiey (an ati

tomey In the pacific building) and A. J' Plaw, another lawyer.

White and Gillogley left the car before the others, with Kohl following and Miller a few steps behind.

The woman was standing beside the '■■/doorway, just inside. She paid no' attention to the two men who passed her. but reached suddenly Into the email black handsachel she was carrying, and before any of the onlookers could utter a cry, leveled a pistol at Kohl and firel point blank. He was not more than six feet from her when •she pulled-the trigger. Kohl staggered back and as Miller s/rssped the situation and hlshed to his Fide the wounded man cried: "She's got me! Look out! Look out for yourself!'\ -Miller supported Kohl, while the woman darted out through the door, vainly trying to restore the pistol to the handbag. .1. A. Leonhardt, 1579 Greenwich street, who keeps a cigar stand ln the. corridor of the Grant building, had witnessed the tragedy, as had Howard W. Graham, a chauffeur, and Frank J. Drlsoeil, who was driving Kohl's machine. , These men ran after the woman and detained her until Police Officer J. J. Crowley arrived and took her Into custody. REALIZES CONDITION* Kohl realized the serious nature of his Dries and asked that lie be taken to a hospital at once and that his physicians he summoned. With Miller he was bundled into the waiting automobile and hurried to the emergency hospital, where he wah treated by Drs. H. C. Moffati. 1. W. Thome and W. I, Terry, who had been called by his order, and by Doctors Howard and Topham of the medical staff. Immediate reports were sent to the police station and to the district attorney's office, and Detectives Dave Murphy and Andrew Gaughran, together with Assistant District Attorney Brennan, went to the scene of the shooting, where they found the woman In a collapsed and half hysterical state. tThey rushed her to the emergency hospital to confront her victim as he lay on the operating table. *"<-''.?*-'"v KOHL. FORGIVES MM

"That is th* woman who shot me," j said Kohl. "I forgive her. She is crazy." With that the officers took her to police headquarters, where her name was entered on the delnue book. Before the surgeons commenced their examination at the hospital, and In the , presence of the assistant district attorney. Kohl made ■ a statement, for fear that he would later. lose consciousness. The words were taken down, and ln the event of his death will be used . at the trial of the Verge woman. The statement follows: "My name is Charles Frederick Kohl. 1 live In San Mateo. I know Lam going to die. Adele Verge shot me. This is she in the room now. I am 48 •years old. I am married. I don't know why she shot m*>. I am a capitalist." SIOXS WITH CROSS The statement was taken at 2:55 and signed by.Br«/inan. Kohl was able to make I cross beside the signature. He was suffering intense agony, and "after only « cursory 1 examination It was ought beat to transfer him to the Idler sanatorium. Van Ness avenue end Broadway, , where the surgeons began their fight to save his life. There were half a dozen witnesses o*f the shooting, all of whom say it was done M quickly and unexpectedly that -they could not cryo ut until after the <*hot had been fired. Leonhardt, who was behind the counter of his cigar stand, not six paces from where the Woman was standing, said:

"I saw the woman come out of the elevator, and marked her nervous man- " npr as she stepped to the street and then back Into the building. "Presently Kohl came down with a crowd of men. I saw her dip into the hand satchel and raise the gun. In ""i another second I was over the counter, " but she had pulled the trigger and •r ; started out Into the street. I helped fj |to keep Kohl from falling and then ft j went after her, but the men outside : had already caught her. ,She did not .."* struggle, and never uttered a word .during the whole affair." ■WHITE GIVES VERSION 1 - ' ■ J. E. White, the lawyer who'came dawn In the elevator with Kohl's party, .had already passed the woman when she drew the pistol. He said: ' 'I was also directly opposite her in „-.jthe doorway when I heard the report ■ and turned r to see Kohl stagger hack • i Into-Miller's arms. I went after the >'? woman and seizer tied from one side! 8 ; aa the chauffeurs gut her on the other. ;; I took the pistol from he and turned '» 'it over to >the policeman.". -. ■ The. pistol used by the woman was a 4 . 41 caliber, two barrel Remington -der-. 1 :-ringer; of a late, model, it; is a small '<£ weapon,. not more than four.lnches in ... length and practicable for use only for * inthlank firing. At police headquar- ?, ters it ;was declared to be very, much A -.•like 1 the'pistol used by McKlnleys asfs : aassln.: Both barrel* had been loaded. I*. ■; and hut one was found to be discharged. "♦ < There were seven : loose cartridges ■ln 5 ', the woman's hand satchel. 1 ' WOMAN SIMMONS PRIEST When she was'locked up ;in the ! city prison she asked that a priest from r | the French church, at Post and Mason V. streets,. he brought to b.er. Father .T. ', i F. Sillier responded and was closeted ; '. with the hysterical woman for two i' ! bourse. To Father Sollier she said she j did M know why she shot Kohl, and repeated again and again that she did ' not want to shoot him. She told the priest that Mrs. Kohl ; was jealous of her at the Kohl caused .- her arrest In Riverside." ■ Asked whether, he considered her demented. Father Soll'er said: "It is. an -j old case. Two , years ago . ; A dele Verge came to me, saying she 1 was the victim; of persecution by: her j former employers.; It la a clear.case of > monomania.'where an Individual is sane I in all respects, except, in the fancied f belief that some;one is pursuing and : threatening. She is insane to:this ext tent. ■ -._:. : „;.;■: "She is sorry she did it, and out there ':, in her cell now she is praying that he jj will, not 1 a\q.'£lJg£oß&UßKnm :':~,

, The lighthouse service of the United Ptates employs 1,7,10 lighthouse -and ; fog signal -keepers and laborers., '" . ' .",' "" I" 'a i " 'ii *.' Many a rich man makes a poor huai band. . - '/ " ~ -^

I Adele Verge, the maid, being taken into the city prison after shooting Dr. C. Frederick Kohl. DctecI tive Andre Gaughrah(left) and Patrolman J. J. Crowley are the men in charge of the prisoner. The portraits J are those of the clubman, the victim of the maid's rage, and Mrs. Kohl,' his wife, \ who is a prominent society woman of this city.