Submitted to the ORMULTNO-L maillist by Peter Wasser on
3/30/00
The Dalles Daily Chronicle
The Dalles, Oregon
March 2, 1932
FIGHTER KILLED IN HOTEL ROOM; WOMAN INVOLVED
Johnny Hansen Trapped By Common-Law Mate of Companion
Portland March 2 (UP)
A warrant charging Jack Kentworth, 25, prize fighter and ex-convict,
with the murder of Johnny Hansen, popular Portland fighter, was issued
today by Municipal Judge H. M. Tomlinson.
Kentworth shot and killed Hansen, the complaint alleges, when he found
Hansen in a hotel room with Peggy Norman, with whom Kentworth had lived
as man and wife for several months, prior to two weeks ago.
Kentworth fled from the hotel after shooting Hansen and taking one shot
at Miss Norman, and had not been captured late today.
Miss Norman and R. J. Stow, who also witnessed the shooting, were held
as material witnesses.
Stow revealed to police that Hansen and Kentworth were drinking together
at least twice during the night after Hansen had won a boxing match from
Nels Ferguson of Calgary by a technical knockout before nearly 5,000
persons at the Municipal auditorium a few hours previously.
Stow said that both Hansen and Kentworth were guests at a party given by
Ace Baker, Hansen’s manager, at which several drinks were taken by both.
At 4:30 a.m. Stow and Kentworth, according to Stow’s story, returned to
his (Stow’s) room in the same hotel and later Hansen arrived at the room
and they all had two more drinks. Hansen left, Stow said, and he and
Kentworth decided to go to Miss Norman’s room to get more drinks.
There he said, they found Hansen and the shooting followed. He admitted
that he did not attempt to stop Kentworth when the latter fled from the
hotel.
