Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-29
LOST HIS WIFE AND HIS LIFE.
Adam Clements Fiers a Bullet
Into his Head.
Domestic Infelicity Maks His Fife
Worthless to Him.
The Periodically Illiterate Statement
he Left-Some of the Features
of His Career in
This City.

Aoam Clements, a native oil Ireland,
aged 46. who kept feed, grain, wood
and coal establishment at No. 405 Also
street, killed himself yesterday at IL 80
p. m. in shed on his place of business,
by shooting himself through the head
with British bulldog revolver. He
held the weapon against his right tenn
pie and drove 44-caliber bullet through
his brain. As soon as the shooting oc-
CURED the coroner was telephoned for,
and ordered the removal of the body to
the morgue, at Orr & Sutch's. There it
was searched, and in the pockets of the
coat was found the sum of $3.50. The
suicide ha6 also placed in his pocket a
letter written on three bill-head blanks,
bearing his name and business adyer-
tisement. The letter read as follows:
gully the % this statment max to the
world that Adam Clements would never
aper in court ginst my wifi. Lena Glenn
ents you morded me Adam good by lena
rien here is 300 and eighty dalers give it
to berry me. A. Clements
the laws can tax the bilence
Clements on Wednesday was granted
a divorce from his wife, and his deed
was undoubtedly the result of domestic
infelicity. The couple had been mar
ried about two years. When the dead
man married the woman she had two
sons, both very bright little boys. When
the divorce proceedings were going on
the husband tried to have the boys sent
to the reform school on account of sew
eral acts of dishonesty of which they
had been guilty. 1t was difference of
opinion about these two youngsters that
caused all the trouble between Clements
and his wife.
Clements met Jailer Russell on
wednesday afternoon at the court
house and prevailed upon him to
accompany him before Judge Shaw. He
had been cited to appear in the after
noon before the court in relation to his
divorce suit, but had disobeyed the man
date, and he was afraid of punishment
for contempt. Judge Shaw had gone
home, and the jailer advised Clements
to return the next day.
Yesterday morning at 9:30 he again
met Mr.. Russell at the sheriff g office.
He then appeared very nervous and
cast down. He told the story of his
marital infelicity to the jsiler and said
that his wife had treated him very
meanly. He acknowledged having sold
his ranch short time ago and of hav-
ing placed the money in safety, although
not at bank, because he was afraid
that LENA might get hold of it," As
it was, he said, she was after half OF his
property, beside alimony and attorneys
fees. Clement then went up to Judge
Shaw's court room.
His counsel asked the court for stay
of proceedings in the contempt proceed
ings against his client, but the Judge re-
fused to wait longer than o'clock, as it
had been reported to him that Clements
had refused to receive the subpoena on
Wednesday, which was presented to him
by the deputy sheriff, and had said that
he didn't care - for the process of
court.
Clements, who had an extraordinarily
hasty temper, Immediately went home
and shot himself. He has two brothers
who reside in San Antonio township.
Horace Appel, who has been his coun-
sci, stated to HERALD reporter last
night that Clements would have killed
himself on the previous evening had he
not found means to pacify him. Mr..
Appel also said that although Clements
had really sold his ranch few days ago,
he had not received the money for it,
but that he had told the story of having
concealed the money to his wife Lena
and to others to make her feel mad.
The inquest will be held today by Cor
oner Weldon.