The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-04
BY THE REv0[ YER ROUTE.
Herman Armstrong Finds He Can
not Live Without Kate
Rausch, or Butte.
SO He Puts a Bullet Through His
Heart and
Dies.
suicide Of Man Claiming to be From
Colorado at the Grand Gem
trail Hotel.

"Kate Rausch. She is the cause Of my
death. HERMAN ARMSTRONG"
'She has wronged and ruined my life
forever. | do not want to and cannot live
without her. God may forgive her.
Such was the writing In clear, mani y
hand, on the back of a photograph that lay
on the table in room in the Grand Cen
tral hotel. With it, on the same table, was
a pint bottle, half full of whisky, several
cigars and some cigarettes. On the bed,
with his hands folded and bullet hole in
the breast. was the body of a man of 32 or
W years of age. On the hotel register he
was Herman Armstrong, Colorado" Fur
ther than that no one seemed to know
about him.
The photograph was that of girl, evil
IDENTIFY woman of. good family, about %
years of age, dressed in plain but stylish
dress. The picture was taken by Eldridge
d Irelan, of 81 West Park street. Butte.
The man had been fine looking fellow
during life, of the average height, and
we'll built. He went to the Grand
Central on Sunday night, registered
as above, and was assigned
room. He had no baggage and paid for
his hotel bill up to yesterday morning. On
Monday he went out and returned about
10 O'Clock at night The bell boy showed
him to his room. When the chambermaid
went to clean the room yesterday morning
she found the door locked. Thinking the
occupant OF the room did not care to get up,
she let him alone. Several times during
the day the door was tried with the same
result. About six O'clock in the evening
{Eaf A
found lying dead on the bed. undressed,
with bullet through his heart, and
forty-five calibre revolver Of the bull dog
pattern alongside him. The bullet had Ell
tered near the center OF the chest and
glanced to tho left, passing into the heart.
Only one chamber of the pistol had been
discharged. Several other cartridges were
found in his pocket
Coroner Rockman was summoned and
took charge of the mans effects, and or
dered the body to be sent to the morgue.
The inquest will be held this morning. The
Jury is Sam Alexander, A. 4. Allen, George
Mock rhs oniy Mafs Belongings IN aes of ana Arm a.
strong found in the room were the articles
already mentioned, the dead mans
clothing, cheap watch and chain, light
overcoat, two dirty shirts and several nech-
ties. In the pocket of his coat was II piece
OF d Helena paper containing poem COP
leu from announcer journal, headed 'Ihe
Young Widow" and beginning "She was
modest, but not bashful."
Armstrong, if that was his true name,
was no doubt sport. Still, no one among
the fraternity seemed to know him. The
theory is that he came from Butte. after re-
ceiving final and negative answer from
the woman in the case; that he paid part of
his money for hotel bill, and tried to make
raise with the balances; that he went
broke, as not cent was found in his pock-
cts; and that he gave up the struggle then
and there. From the condition of his body
when found, the man had no doubt been
dead many hours. W. w. Place, guest at
the Grand Central, who occupied the room
next to that of the suicide, says he was
awakened about eight o'clock yesterday
morning by sound as if something had
fallen. Thinking chambermaid had
dropped a pitcher or something else. he
gave no more thought to the matter.