The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-07-06
Miner Coombs Very Nearly Cuts His
Wife's Head off With a
Razor.
He Is Taken While CaressinH the
Woman Whom He Has
Murdered.
One Hour After Being Placed In jail He
Dies, Supposedly From Effects
of Poison.
Special to tho Independent.

Special to tho Independent.
BUTTE, July 5.--Thomas Coombs, q
miner, killed his wife yesterday by outing
her throat from car to car, almost sevsring
her head from her body, and then took
big dose Of stryohnins from which he died
in jail within an hour. Tho facts leading
up 70 the frightfnl tragedy commenced
about three years ago, II il
said. when Ceombs married the
woman to ehield her from shame
for which another man wRs responsible.
The couple never got along we'll together.
Abont year ago he attempted to kill her
with pair Of shears. she escaped by jump
ing through . window. Al intervals she
has lived with him since. About five weeks
ago the couple went TO Dswey's Fiat. where
they secured employment In q boarding
house. Over two weeks ago they returned
again to Butte. Coombs said his wife left
Dewey's fat at the solicitation Of q man
named Thomas. When she arrived here,
she left her husband and went TO work for
Mary e. Barnett who keeps . boarding
house on East Park street. II was there
that the tragedy was enacted.
About $50 O'Clock Mrs. Coomhs went to
her room. adjoining that Of Mrs. Barnett.
to dress. Mrs. Barnett heard Mrs. Coombs
scream, 'Ob, my God. Mrs. Barnett, save
me! He's going to murder mel" Mrs.
Barnett ran to the room door and found il
locked. She placed her full weight against
the door and pushed IL in. Standing near
the door, with his left hand CLUTCH
ing the hair of his victim, was
Coombs. In his right he held keen
and forth across his wifs's throat until her
head was almost severed from her body.
Mrs. Barnett ran out and told her brother
to get deputy sheriff. Philip Tucker. sF..
q special deputy sheriff, and Peter Mundy
responded. They entered the room where
on the floor was the blood staint d
body of the woman, while Coombs
was lying along side his wife with one arm
uuder her head. He was kissing her and
repeating that ahe was his dear wife. "This
ia all through love that do this. and will
de zsn times. Mundy onuRhs him BY the
shoulder and placed him on his
feet. Coombs face, hands and body
were dyed with the blood Of his
victim. He offered no resistance, but
said to Tucker: "You can arrest me. l
have accom- plished what started out to do
and have washed my faoe and hands in
her blood. You can take me to jail. but !
have fxsd myself all right and If could
fix that man Thomas in the same way
could die happy"
Coombs was taken to Jail and on the way
he wanted to put his hand In his pocket.
but was prevented frou doing 30. He
asked il he could smoke q cigarette and
was told he could. He took from his
pocket package of cigarette papers and
began to lick them a. IL hs
were about to smoke. Then he threw the
papers away and it is now believed that the
paper contained poison. which he had pro-
vided in premeditation of tho murder and
suicide. short time after being looked
up he was found In an unconscious condi-
| ton and soon died.