The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-08-24
AN IDAHO
Robert Haw IhOrne, From Butte. NJ. 4
Kills his Vile and Then Suicides.

Editor Butte MINER:
A tragedy occurred here yesterday, the par
ticulals of which may interest some of your
readers, as | believe the parties were known
in Butte.
\ week ago to-day Mrs. Lizzie King and
Robert Hawthorne We're married here. Yes.
terday he killed his wife and himself, no one
being present to witness the tragedy.
1t appears, from what was gathered from
Mrs. King by her acquaintances, that she met
Hawthorne in Butte last winter, and he let
her have money to the amount of $500.
Early this summer Mr.. X. returned from
Butte and opened a very fine dance hall and
saloon that had been built for her during
her absence. Hawthorne joined her a couple
of weeks ago, af er having been on a pros
pecting tour at Wood river. lie made her
believe that he had a large amount of money
the proceeds of the sale of mining property.
Mrs. King was in debt some, and Hawthorne
promised to advance the funds necessary to
put her straight with her creditors. She mar
RED him with this expectation, and yesterday
her creditors were to appear, at her request,
and get their money. She had a lot OF
freight come yesterday about 10 o~'clock-fur-
niture, etc. and Hawthorne pretended that
he had Il ST., 900 check which he said he could
not get cashed. She dressed herself for the
street and said that she would 90 out and
try to get it cashed. This brought the crisis.
From the conversation overheard by a color
ed woman living next door, and the China
man working in the house, there was some
talk over the matter, and soon after a shot
was heard accompanied by a scream. In a
minute or tive four shots more were heard,
which caused an alarm and the neighbols
went down to the room to ascertain the cause.
Hawthorne was dead, having shot himself
twice in the throat, severing the jugular vein.
and breaking his neck. Mrs. H.. was still
breathing, but died in about 20 minutes She
was shot once above the temple, the ball pas
sing through and striking the wall; once
through the cheek and once throug the wrist.
All indications go to show that Mrs. Haw-
thorne was standing before the glass putting
on her bonnet, and the first shot went through
her wrist and through 10Th cheeks, or at least
through one and into the other. At this time
she screamed, and soon after another shot
was heard, which was probably the one that
penetrated her brain. 1t appears that Haw-
thorne then,standing in front of the glass, fired
at his own head, but the ball only ranged
across his forehead-the mark of which was
plainly seen-and through his hat. The next
two Shots were fired into his throat, the pow
der marks showing plainly on his whiskers
and neck. On searching the letters and the
room there was no money found, which went
TO show that Hawthorne Was deceiving her
about his wealth, and that after finding that
he could deceive her no longer decided to
kill both himself and her.
1t seems that Hawthorne was expecting
trouble for he told parties here that if he ever
should xii! anyone he would also kill himself.
This is, in as brief a manner as | can give
it, an account of the shooting. There are
some things connected with the affair that
will never be known. Certain it is, that both
parties, however much they may have erred,
are dead and in their graves, and there Is no
charity in following them to their lonely
resting place to exhume their faults.
A little over a year ago Richard King, Liz,
zie's former husband was killed here in a
quarrel, and she now lies by his side. He
was the first man buried IN the camp. Gu,
of six graves here Mrs. King and her two hus
bands occupy halt the number.
Business is looking up somewhat. The
Custer company's mill at Custer is progress
sing favorably and will probably be complet
ed in October. At Bay Horse and kinnikin'
two smelters are going up, and in anothe
year our camps can begin to give a good &C
count of themselves. DON.
BONANZA, Idaho. Aug IL, 1880.