FRIENDSHIP ENDS IN
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
WILLIAM JACOBIA KILLS MRS.
SADIE STOLL AND HIMSELF.
Young Son of Woman Heard Quarrel
and Shooting -- Risks Life Try-
ing to Protect His
Mother.
MRS. SADIE BROWN STOLL.
Wife of Samuel F. Stoll of the Stoll-Moore Drug Company.
Murder and suicide ended a close friendship last night when William Jacobia, 600 East Ninth street, shot and killed Mrs. Sadie Brown Stoll, 3617 Tracy avenue, during a quarrel in the front hall of the Stoll home at 9 o'clock and a few minutes later committed suicide on the veranda of his wife's residence, 3217 Forest avenue.
Mrs. Stoll was shot through the heart and died at once. Jacobia shot himself in the head.
The only person in the house at the time Mrs. Stoll was murdered was her 14-year-old son Albert. What passed between the couple before the tragedy is not known definitely, but they were quarreling for nearly a half hour before Jacobia fired the shot. Albert Stoll heard part of the conversation between his mother and Jacobia, but was sent to his room by her just before the shooting.
BOY GETS A SHOTGUN.
That the young son expected serious trouble while Jacobia was there is shown by Jacobia's actions, which Albert Stoll graphically described to the police last night. Immediately after firing the shot which killed Mrs. Stoll, Jacobia started up the stairs, threatening to kill Albert, who had provided himself with a shotgun to protect his own life.
Either the shotgun frightened him or the desire to get away from the scene of his crime, Jacobia gave up the pursuit of the boy, and ran from the house, followed by Albert, who gave the alarm by crying for help.
But few minutes elapsed between the first and second shooting. It is only five blocks from the Stoll home at 3617 Tracy avenue to Mrs. Jacobia's suite in the Alabama apartment house, 3237 Forest avenue, and Jacobia ran all the way.
"I HAVE SHOT MRS. STOLL."
A balcony with no outside steps is front of her apartment, which is on the ground floor. Jacobia made his entrance by way of this balcony and in doing so had to climb over a stone balustrade which encloses it. As he entered with much agitation he said to his wife, who had come to let him in:
"Mamma, I had to come home."
She could see that he was greatly excited, and told him to sit down while she got him a glass of cold water.
"No, no!" he protested, excitedly, "I haven't time. I have just shot Mrs. Stoll. It is awful, it is awful."
WILLIAM JACOBIA.
Slayer of Mrs. Samuel F. Stoll, who committed suicide when the police traced him to his wife's home at 3217 Forest avenue.
Incoherently he was trying to tell her of the shooting when he heard the sound of steps outside.
"There are the officers coming for me," he said.
"Yes, but you will have to nerve yourself and be calm," she told him.
Mrs. Jacobia went to the door to let in Sergeant M. E. Cassidy and Patrolman Isaac Hull of No. 9 station, and as she did so her husband stepped out on the balcony.
"Where is he?" asked Sergeant Cassidy.
WIFE HEARS DEATH SHOT.
Just then they heard a single shot, and the three went hurriedly to the balcony door.
"There he lies," she answered, pointing to the dead body of her husband, prostrate on the stone floor of the porch. The husband of the murdered woman is S. F. Stoll of the Stoll-Moore Drug Company, formerly at Twelfth street and Grand avenue, and now located at 208 and 210 East Twelfth street. He was notified of the death of his wife by W. R. James, 3615 Tracy avenue. Sam Brown Stoll, 18 years old, the oldest son, was at a theater, and friends were unable to reach him by telephone.
According to the facts as told by Albert last night Jacobia telephoned yesterday afternoon about 3 o'clock and asked for Mrs. Stoll. Albert answered the telephone and upon recognizing Jacobia's voice hung up the receiver. About 8 o'clock last night he again called up and was answered by Mrs. Stoll, and a half hour later appeared at the house.
Mrs. Stoll fell dead in the hallway at the foot of the stairs. Her head was lying against the bottom step, while her feet pointed to the front door. Soon after Mr. Stoll reached home he asked neighbors and friends to inform the relatives of his wife of her death. J. H. Brown, a brother, who lives in Atchison, Kas., was informed of the tragedy.
"Tell all of them to come," said Albert, who was telling his father what should be done.
The account of the shooting as told by young Albert Stoll soon after the murder, while not full in all details, shows daring in a boy so young as far as his part was concerned. He said that he and his brother did not like Jacobia, and that a week ago Sam had purchased a shotgun with the intention of killing the man who was his mother's friend. The shotgun had been kept in their room until a day or so ago, when his mother removed it to the attic.
"Yesterday afternoon when Jacobia called up and asked for mamma, I hung up the receiver," said Albert. "Then about 8 tonight he called mother, and soon afterwards he came to the house. I was in my room at the time. When I heard mamma and Jacobia fussing I decided I would get the shotgun, which I did. I took a shell and after taking out the wad and shot I went down to the first landing and stood there.
HEARD HIS MOTHER SHOT.
"I told Jacobia to leave the house, that he did not have any business here anyway. At that he got mad at me and told me to keep still or he would beat me. Then to bluff him I picked up the shotgun and put a load into it. Mamma made me go to my room, saying she would get Jacobia awa.
"I'll not let that little pup talk to me that way," Jacobia is said to have repeated to Mrs. Stoll.
"Just as I reached the upper hall I heard the shot, and then mamma say, 'Albert, he shot me.' 'Yes, and I'll shoot him, too,' I heard Jacobia say as I was hurrying back downstairs. Jacobia was coming up the stairs, and knowing my shell was not good, I ran to my room and put a loaded shell in the gun and then came downstairs.
RAN AFTER JACOBIA.
"As I reached the head of the stairway Jacobia was going out the front door, and I ran down the steps and followed into the yard. He was then going up the street. I cried 'Help, help,' and someone across the street asked, 'What is the matter, Albert?' When I said mamma is shot nearly all of the people started to the house and I came back and called up papa, but he didn't answer. Then someone told the police.
"I wish I had shot him," Albert admitted.
"Oh, God, why didn't you shoot the scoundrel, boy?" Mr. Stoll asked of his son.
Albert insisted that he did not know what his mother and Jacobia were talking about. Whenever Albert endeavored to tell the police just what occurred, and how, Mr. Stoll, who was walking the floor of the lower rooms, would tell him to keep still. Mr. Stoll refused to answer any questions immediately after the murder.
HUSBAND STILL LOVED HER.
"I loved her with every drop of blood in my body," he said, "and I will not say anything against her. I would not say a word that would reflect upon her. Oh, God, why couldn't he have shot me?"
Not until Samuel Stoll, the elder son, came home after the performance at a theater, did he learn of the tragedy. As he hurried up the steps, he was met by J. A. Guthrie, a friend of the family.
"For God's sake, what's the matter?" he said with a perplexed face.
Then he saw the white shrouded figure in the parlor with the undertaker and his assistants standing near. Mr. Stoll, who saw him, threw his arms about the boy's neck and shouted:
"Your friend killed her, that's what he did. And you knew he was coming to see her all the time."
WHEN THE TWO FIRST MET.
Then both were hurried up the stairs by friends.
"I'll kill him myself," said the youth.
"He has done that to save you the trouble," said Mr. Guthrie. "He committed suicide just after he killed your mother."
Then the father upbraided the son for several minutes, but the youth declared he knew nothing about it. Then both began weeping hysterically, and were finally reconciled. But the father could not remain seated. He walked the floor in anguish.
"I knew the first day he saw my wife," he said. "One day when he was building those flats up on Forest avenue, he came in to use the telephone, and my wife met him at the door. He introduced himself, which was the beginning of their acquaintance. I began to get suspicious when I saw him at the house several times.
WAS TOLD TO WATCH WIFE.
"Somehow I had a suspicion that all was not right, and at times I felt sick. On one occasion I asked her about it, but she became angry and upbraided me so much that I felt almost humiliated. She went on occasional visits to Atchison, and I was suspicious every time that she left home.
"On one of the visits to Atchison, I found his picture in the close, and I was so angry when she came home that I could wait no longer. She flew into a rage, and I could do nothing but submit, not wishing to make the affair public.
"My feelings were again wrought to a high pitch when I received an anonymous letter, telling me I ought to watch my wife. I then determined to hire a detective agency to watch her, but after hiring two men I thought differently and canceled my contract with the firm.
"It has been that way for months until tonight when I was called to the telephone and was told that my wife had been shot. I won't harbor any ill will against her for my boys' sake. She was their mother.
Mrs. Stoll was a large woman with a rich mass of dark brown hair. Her face was full and her eyes were dark brown, which matched her olive complexion. She was considered one of the handsomest women in the neighborhood, and always attracted attention on the street by her dignified bearing. A dimple in her cheek was heightened by an engaging smile. She always dressed in clothes of the latest fashion, which while not always expensive, always were tasteful. She was 38 years old.
Mrs. Stoll was the daughter of J. P. Brown, a wealthy man who lived at Atchison, Kas., Her father died about three weeks ago. He was well known in and around Atchison being one of the most prominent men in that community. While the Stolls lived in Atchison Mr. Stoll conducted a drug store there.
JACOBIA 46 YEARS OLD.
William Jacobia, the dead man, was 46 years old and rather stout. Those who had known him in life said last night that he was apparently of a happy disposition, with rare conversational powers. He took uniformly with women and men, the former long remembering his bright wit and ready flow of small talk.
When Mr. and Mrs. Jacobia were married October 8, 1890, he was an engineer on a Kansas branch of the Missouri Pacific railway. Later he left the railroad in favor of the banking business and founded the Farmer's state bank, the stock of which was owned mostly by farmers at Corning, Kas., which was his birthplace. Seven years ago he sold out his interest in the Farmers' bank and came to Kansas City to enter the real estate business.
POLICE "DIDN'T KNOW."
The police notified Dr. B. H. Zwart, coroner, of the double crime and he in turn notified Deputy Coroner Dr. Harry Czarlinsky. The bodies of the murdered woman and suicide were sent to the Carroll - Davidson undertaking rooms by the deputy coroner.
The police who were stationed at the home of Mrs. Stoll and Mrs. Jacobia refused to give any information regarding the tragedy last night. Whenever any of them were asked who shot the woman or why he shot her or an y other question relative to the case the invariable answer was "I don't know."
One policeman was asked if the body lying in the front hall of the Stoll home was a man or woman, and he said, "I don't know."
