The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-24
SOME SAY MURDER.
OTHERS SUICIDE
Conflicting Views Held as TO
W. S. A. VirmilIiOn's Death.
REASONS ON BOTH SIDES
POLICE BELIEVE DRUGGIST En-
DED HIS OWN LIFE.

"a CRDER Is the theory at present
tuI held by Coroner f II. Clark and
the jury impauelled TO nvesri-
gateethe case OF MILFORD \, 5. Nirmf~
lion. the young druggist who fell dead
behind the prescription counter OF his
store, 511 West second South street,
at 1890 o'clock Monday night rs the
result of a revolver bullet entering his
brain. With the coroner's jury agree
many friends Of the dead man wLo in
sist that absolutely no motive for self
destruction existed.
Suicide. the police and county au-
thorities declare, is the only theory
that can be accepted at this time. it
is the only explanation. they claim.
that satisfactorily accounts Tor n
number of puzzling features OF the
case. With the police agree many who
have made a thorough investigation Of
all tie facts surrounding Nirmillion's
violent dealh.
The basis OF the murder theory rests
chiefly upon the non-existence. as far
as is now known, of a motive for sui
eide. Coupled with this are the good
character of the young man himself,
the satisfactory condition Of his busl
ness and finances and the fact that
for some time past he had been sub
Jected 10 petty tEieVeTies by some one
whose knowledge Of the store was ap-.
parently perfect.
The suicide theory is borne out by
the fact JhaC there is no tangible evi-
dence that any one left the store fol-
lowing The firing Of the two
shots Probably twenty-five per
sons in the 1eighbOrhOOd heard
the reports and were on the
NJ her = affsraH e g
bu tOnly one has been foUnd-FraniS
Gillam-whO claims 10 have seen any
one hurrying away from the scene
The suicide theory. the officials say. -
further strengthened because of the
peculiar position in which the revolver
from which the slots were fired lag
The pistol. Virmiilion's own 80 calibTe.
was found beneath the dead man, just
under the small Of his back.
May Have Sought TO Deceive.
The unfinished letter. the open cash
register. those who hold to this opiu
ion point out, might have been used
as blinds by a man about 10 end Lis
life and yet who feared 10 bring dis
grace upon his own and his family's
name.
To make the work of the authorities
dOubly hard, there are strong objec-
ti0ns to either theory.
fact that not one sign OF strugeIa
exists. NiFBhIIfOD. according 20 his
nearest friends. WAS a man of un-
doubted courage. He would have re-
sisted an attack upon his person or
an attempt 10 tap the casE register
Again, NiTmilliOu's sEsailant to have
escaped capture. must have made MS
exit from the front door. Both back
windows and the back door were bolt
ed Il would have taken several
seconds for q person to get from be
hind the prescription counter tn the
front Of the store by means of the
narrow passa &c behind the counters.
Everett Little. 4 carpenter who resides
opposite the drug store. turned his eyes
in tEat direction Immediately upon
hearing the reports, but saw no one
leave the place.
In case VirmnIion fell as the result
of a shot fired by another the latter
must have been secreted in the rear
of the store for many hours previous
10 the tragedy. as NiTmilliOn had re-
manned in the store continuously after
returning from his supper Ne one.
could have entered by means Of the
rear windows OF doors for the same
reason that they could not have used
them as means of cXit-they were
bolted
Against the theory of suicide. lack
Of motive Is the strongest argument
advanced Nirmillion was p years OF
age, apparently was in perfect health
and spirits. So far as can be ascer-
tanned he had no close women friends.
He was on extremely affectionato
terms with him family. consisting OF
his father. Judge J. $. Virminion Of
Dillon, Mont. his mother and two sis
tiers, Henrietta aged - years, and
Margaret. aged Il
Coroner's Jury at Work
Tt is with these facts and lack Of
facts that the coroner's jury IS wrest-
ling in -su effort to bring in a verdict
Coroner Clark impauelled a jury con-
sisting of William Carroll, +. y. Nc
Donald and J. G. Lynch early yesteT-
day morning and visited the scene of
the tragedy. At O'Clock YESTERDAY
afternoon they went into session and
examined q. ". Dalton the most in
innate friend the dead man had III
Salt Lake, and also the youth VINO
worked in the drug store and who was
the last person To speak to his en-
plOyer-
Mr.. Dalton testified as TO EirmilIion.s
habits and character. The dead man
Lad led an exemplary life. according
TO the witness. His finances, 50 far
as DallOn knew. were in perfect corr
dition- Virmiuion ard he had been
confidants and he was sure had The
former been laboring under amy de-
spondency that he would have spoken
about il.
After a two hours session the jury
adjourned until o. m. today The
members then went in a body. accom-
panied by Coroner Clark and Detective
Chase, to the scene of the shooting
The store was carefully looked over.
TIE rear exits were examined IS was
the spot behind the prescription COua-
ter where NirmiIlion fell with the bui-
let in his brain.
Coroner. Clark's Statement.
A the conclusion Of the investig cation
Coroner Clark expressed his firm bee
lief that Virmillion had been the We
tim of cold-blOOded murder HIS
opinion was cOncurred in by the three
1ufymen, and to a certain extent by
Detective Chase. Coroner Clark made
the following statement:
TIE shot that ended Virmiilions
life was not fired from a revolver neId
in the dead mans hand OF that / am
positive. The statements OF roomers
above the drug store as to the scue-
fling, the fact that NirmiIlion left off
addressing an envelope and was foua5
dead before the ink had had a chance
to dry aud the tenor of the letter IL
self all tend to disprOve the theory
of suicide.
Our findings have not by any meaus
been fully made, as We have yet 10
examine witnesses who were on or
near the spot just after the shooting.
A. the conclusion Of our inveslIg.5-