The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-25
E. E Towner. Of Denver, Shuflles
Off This Mortal Coil in
Cleveland, Ohio.
His Travelling Companion, He
Said. Would Pay the Expenses
Of tho Funeral
Outrageous Conduct Of . Frsnzlsd Mob
In Michigan Town-Jealous Col
ored Mans Crime.

CLEVELAND. May H.-Fanny Allen. alias
Mrs. Brown. the woman connected with
last nights tragedy at the Hoilenden In
which E. =. Townsr committed suicide. IL
lying at the city hospital in q serious cen.
dition. She seems completely prostrated.
Tho following telegram was received from
Cincinnati concerning the case: "E. Il.
Towner wanted At San Diego. CAL. ON
charge of smbszzlemsnt He held the Of
fee of tax collector of the Linda Vista irri-
eating district was high roller. spent
money freely. During his term hs lived
with handsome young woman about 25
years old. They lived royalty. When he
was succeeded BY new collector Towner
left with the woman. Examination Of his
books showed he was short several thousand
dollars. Officers went to search for him.
but he and the woman had fed. It 10 sup
posed the woman who was with him 10 the
same one. and that his money being gone
she srisd TO leave him. causing him to com-
NIT suisids."
The particulars of the tragedy referred TO
above are % fellows: r. E. Townsr, mid
die aged. handsome and we'll dressed man
blow out his brains with . revolver at the
Hellsnden hotel last svsnina. The story
back Of it 10 undoubtedly startling one
but is snvslopsd in mystery. To-day fine
looking woman went TO the Kennsrd house
and after engaging . room sent for An A.
torney. Col. J. 0. Winship responded.
She told him she was Mrs. F. M. Allen, of
San Francisco. widow. and she was being
pursued By T0wnsf, who wanted to marry
her and threatened suicide in case she per
sisted in her refusal. Towner appeared at
a in 1A~kS
and a. Mrs. Allen was evidently i'll Winship
spirited her out O. tho house and sent her
to the Huron street hospital.
Towner departed after asking for Mrs.
Brown and finally picking out Mrs. Al
lens name on the register o. that Of the
his effects from the Irving house. where he
and Mrs. Allen had been stopping. and
after engaging . room at tho Hollenden
shot himself. He left note to the coroner
saying that he died BY his own hand and
that Mrs. Brown would pay the funsrai OK
send on the register at the Hollendsn, CIV
ing his place Of residence a. Denver. Mrs
Allen refused to be interviewed, and the
only means of Identifying the man is the
woman's declaration to the attorney that
his name was Towner and that he has .
brother at Kingnsher. O. T. Townsr and
Mrs. Allen travelled together from the west
to Cleveland.
SAN DIEGO. CAL. May 24.-The suicide Of
Z. b. Towner, of Denver. at Cleveland last
night caused no particular ssrpriss hers.
whore he and his companion. Mrs. Allen,
or Brown, had been living up to early in
March. The woman went by tho name of
Brown, was we'll dressed, and seemed to
have plenty of money. Towner had been
managing a ranoh and was elected tax
collector for Linda Vista district.
The's was rumor that he was short in
his accounts about the time of leaving, but
the directors say that the district owes him
about as much as he il in debt TO them.
When Towner, in company with Mrs.
Brown left here he had $1,000 cash. and
after a night at San Bernardino they went
TO the Palace hotel at San Francisco, en-
route for the Worlds fair. The SUPPOSE
tion IL that worry about his accounts here
may have caused the suicide. az it said he
loft numerous unpaid debts about town.
Aoquaintances of Gowaer say his home
was at Minneapolis, Kan.. whore his father
and two sisters live. He came hero in 1887
and was generally employed AZ manager Of
ranches. He got acquainted with Mrs.
Brown at riding school, and they became
intimate and had rooms in tho same lodR-
ing house, and sat together at the hotel
where they boarded. The woman drsvs q
good deal and has vehicles in storage here
now.