Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-17
Tells TRAGIC
TALE Of DEATH
MINNIE BL0UGH'S STORY Is
MADE PUBLIC
Mortimer c. Helmer, Companion OF
Dead Girl on Night Of Orgy
Makes Statement About
the Affair

Mortimer c. Helmer. one Of the two
men who was with Miss Minnie
Blough, whose sudden death after an
evening at the Del Monte tavern FEB
ruary 8, has created so much excite
ment made statement yesterday con-
corning his connections with the mys-
terous affair.
Miss Blough was taken violently III
at the apartments of Mr.. Helmer and
died soon after removal to the Sisters
hospital Under conditions of greatest
secrecy the body was shipped to MISS
B;ough's old home in Clarksville Mich,
and only little by little has the full
story been made public.
DR. Myers, who treated the dead girl
at the Hotel Caine. only performed the
necessary duties of physician sum-
nnoned In haste and was in no way
responsible for the fact that the story
of the girls death was kept a secret
DR.. Myers explains that 1t was not a
coroner case and that he had no idea
of the tragedy back of 1t.
Says the Girl Fell
According to Helmer's story when
the party of young women, accom-
panied by Helmer and the other escort,
whose name is not known. reached the
private room i'm the Del Monte few
rounds OF drinks were taken and while
Helmer played ON the piano the Blough
girls and Miss Courser danced. Finally
one of the girls jumped on the table
and then leaped down again. Minnie
and Lillian followed the lead Of Miss
Courser but Minnie in some way
struck her back on the arm of chair.
She made no complaint at the time and
ii was not until later that the blow
caused her discomfort.
After leaving the Del Monte the man
whose name is yet concealed went to
the Hotel Venice with Lillian Blough
and Nellie Courser. Minnie Blough &C
companied Helmer to his rooms in the
Hotel Game at Second and Olive
streets.
Soon after arriving at the sumptuous
rooms of the gay man about town. Miss
Blough complained of severe pains in
her abdomen. Helmer, after trying
simple remedies, sent for DIR. Myers.
The physician prescribed for the girl
and said she would doubtless be better
in the morning.
Lillian Blough and Miss Courser had
been summoned when Helmer IouIld
that Minnie was very Ill.
Body Spirited Away
They remained with the girl while
Helmer tried to sleep on couch. Miss
Blough grew worse, and again DIR.
Myers was summoned. This time the
physician remained with the girl some
time and finally said that she should be
removed to hospital, where an opera
tion could be performed.
Minnie Blough died as she was being
lifted out of the ambulance at the SIS
ters' hospital. The body was then
hurried to Sutch's undertaking estab-
lishment on Figueroa street, and from
there it was shipped under conditions
of great secrecy to Clarksville, Mich.
Mr.. Helmer who is secretary of the
Wilcox Helmer- G ortner company with
offices in the Mason opera house, gave
a complete statement of his connection
with the death of Miss Blough, keeping
back nothing, according to I'm. but the
name of the man who was one of the
party on the night of February at the
Del Monte tavern.
81 am sorry that this story has be-
come public was the way in which he
greeted a Herald reporter yesterday
afternoon. However,, 1 want to give
a fair, straight forward account of the
whole affair. and I will tell you just
what told the police yesterday.
Tries to Suppress Tragic Story
"of course we tried to keep the story
quiet. Ine1e WIS llOllllil5 " NC eoiAiN0
nv letting the public know about the
death of poor Miss Blough. l met Miss
Minnie about two months ago. She
and her sister Lillian were two jolly
girls, ready to have good time. ana L
liked them both very much
at was on Tuesday afternoon of last
week that l received telephone mes
sage from Miss Blough. She said that
she wanted to see me. and / made ar
70 hn
took a friend along with me. He does
not figure in this story, as he never
met the girls before that night, and L
certainly shall not give his name TO
anyone. We met Minnie, Lillian and
Miss Nellie Courser at the Imperial.
After staying there awhile we went TO
the Del Monte and took room up
stairs"
"The room had a table, piano and
chairs in It. but no sofa. We had some
thing to eat and a round of beer. Then
later we had more beer and a Welsh
rarebit. The third round was beer and
sandwiches. Later we had more beer.
Girl Seriously Injured
az got up and started to play on the
piano and the girls danced about the
room a little. But there was no noise
or loud talking and the girls were all
of them stepped from chair to the
table and jumped down from the other
side. The other two girls did the same
and in jumping down Miss Blough
struck her back, humping herself Sc
verey, although we did not know of ii
at the time.
"Finally we went down stairs, settled
our bill and walked up the street. My
friend took Lillian and Miss Courser to
the Hotel Venice, while Minnie and
walked up to my rooms in the Hotel
Game on Second and Olive streets. Soon
after reaching the room, Miss Blough
complained of having pains in her abb
domen. AS they seemed to increase 1
telephoned for DIR. T. C. Myers, and he
responded quickly. also telephoned to
Lillian and Nellie.
"The doctor gave some remedies and
said that Miss Blough would be better
IN the morning. lay down ON couch
and later was called to see Minnie. She
WAS suffering severely and again l
called up DR.. Myers.
Dies at Sisters Hospital