The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-12-28
UNKNOWN BLOND
SHOT SMYTHE
Mysterious Attempt at Muir
der in indianapolis.
PROMINENT MASON
VICTIM OF THE DEED
Story Discredited and Belief In
timated He Shot Himself.

Indianapolis. Ind, Dec. 27.-William
H. Smythe, secretary of the grand
Masonic lodge of the state, was shot
in the head in his office in the Masonic
building shortly after noon today.
Mr.. Smythe says a woman did the
shooting. but the police have been so
far unable to locate her. 1t is thought
he cannot live.
Lewis A. Coleman, an attorney,
found Mr. Smythe shortly after he was
shot. He went to Mr.. Smythe's office
in the Masonic building shortly after
noon for the purpose of transacting
business and found Mr.. Smythe lying
IN a pool of blood on the floor. MI
Coleman said he detected the smell of
gunpOwder the moment he stepped
into the room.
The wounded man was in d semi
conscious condition and was able at
intervals to utter few coherent
words. The police asked Mr.. Smythe
to tell who did the shooting, and he
told them his son would give them the
Information. He was able to say, how
ever, that he was seated at his desk
when blonde woman entered his Of
flee and asked to use the telephone. He
said she had been in several times be-
fore and that the last call irritated
him and he refused her request. He
claimed that after he refused her the
use of the telephone she drew re
volyer from the bosom Of her dress
and fired
Shortly after the tragedy, DR.. Elmer
Smythe, the son referred to, came IN.
He insisted that he knew nothing OF
the woman or the shooting.
A surgeon was called Immediately
after the shooting and when he arrived
he i171T71adil fnlV hnp2U nTDhInU for the
bullet. The wound was directly behind
the right ear and in a short time pieces
of the bullet were found and extracted.
Soon after the shooting. Mr.. Smythe
asked for his son Elmer and requested
that all leave the room for a few min
utes, which was done. Later he said
his son would give them the name of
the woman and all about her. The
son persisted in his statement that he
knew nothing of her.
An attempt was made to locate the
woman at the Lorraine, but inquiry
developed the fact that there was or
had been no woman connected with
the hotel who could have done the
shooting.
When a search for the woman who
is said to have done the shooting failed
TO reveal any trace of her the theory
was advanced that Mr.. Smythe had
attempted to take his own life, The
persons who advanced the theory say
it is strengthened by the fact that
within the last year Mr.. Smythe had
threatened to take his life His son
said that while his father would be
very respondent at times during the
past year. he was unwilling to believe
that he had attempted his own life.
At the home of Mt Smythe it was
impossible TIC find any clue to the wo-
man whom he said did the shooting.
Mr.. Smythe is widely known in In
dianapolis. He came to this city
twenty years ago from Greencas-
tie. to take the position of secretary OF
the Masonic grand lodge of IndianapO-
lis a position which he filled to the
present time. He IS one of the best
known Masons in the state and is
highly esteemed.
Early in the summer Mr.. Smythe re-
ceived a sUustroke which inCapacitated
him for work. In fact he has never
recovered.