The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-25
STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES SUR.
ROUND DEATH OF MRS. GORE.
WAS A MUSIC STUDENT
Consul General Gowdy Will Insist on
Thorough Police Investigation
of Case.

Paris, Nov. 21.-Helen Gore, sait
to be an American, was killed by ;
revolver shot yesterday in the ap
partment occupied by Jean de Rydzen
ski, a singer of the Imperial theatre
of st. Petersburg. De Rydzenski a
first said Miss Gore committed sui
eide, but subsequently he declared
the revolver went off accidentally.
Is Being Investigated.
Consul General Gowdy is personally
investigating the death of Miss Gore
who was completing her musical edu
cation here and resided in the fash
iOnable quarter Of Passy. When found
yesterday evening, the victim was
unconscious and had a bullet wound
over her right eye. Two doctors were
summoned to attend her, but she died
without regaining consciousness.
The Russian singer comes from a
rich and noble family. He is the son
of a Russian general and has uncles
who hold high positions in the gov
eminent service of Russia.
Consul General Gowdy's investiga'
ton has developed that Ellen Gore
arrived in Paris or August rs and
registered at a boarding house at No.
II Avenue de la Grande Armee, as
Mrs. Ellen Gore of New York. She
does not appear to have had any rela.
tives residing in Paris, but among
the effects found in her room are sew
eral typewriter letters of recent
dates bearing the heading attorney
Edward c. Butler Gore, Court of Mex
ico." These letters are Of a strictly
business nature, relating to property.
Was Conscientious Student.
The proprietor of Miss Cores board
ing house says she appeared to be a
conscientious student. She worked
hard at her musical studies and re.
ceived few visitors. The doorkeeber
of the house, who speaks in the high
est terms of the deceased student,
says he had see her enter accom-
panied by a gentleman whose descrip-
ton tallies with that of M. de
Rydzenski.
Consul General Gowdy has not form
ed any theory regarding the circum-
stances of the death, but he will in
sist on the police Investigating the
case. The body has been removed
to the morgue, where it will remain
until Mr.. Gowdy has received advices
from the woman's relatives.
The Russians Version.
M. De Rydzenski returned to his
lodging at 5 p. m. yesterday, accom-
panied by Miss Gore, whom he took
to his room. Half an hour later the
report of a revolver shot was heard
and de Rydzenski shouted for help.
The proprietor of the house and sev-
eral other persons entered the room
and found Miss Gore lying on the
bed, while the revolver was on the
rug at the bedside. De Rydzenski's
version of the affair is that while he
was ~conversing with his visitor he had
occasion to pick up an article from
the table and he knocked off the re-
volver, the fall of which caused it
to discharge. The bullet struck Miss
Gore and she fell backward on the
bed in an unconscious condition.
The commissary of police, who has
charge of the case, says the story
seems improbable, but it is impossi-
BILE as yet to say whether the case is
one of murder or accident. Nothing
has yet been discovered to help in
clearing up the mystery surrounding
the affair. +,
According to a servant in de
RydZenski's house, Miss Gore paid
frequent visits to the Russian, who, it
is now reported, first said that she
had committed suicide, but afterward
said that while holding the revolver
in his hand it slipped from his grasp
and went off as it fell.