The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-21
CHASES EX-WIFE,,
SHOOTS SELF
Leon Armer Makes Futile At
tempt on Divorced Spouse
and Then Tries Suicide.
PROVES FATAL
JEALOUSY is SAID TO BE CAUSE
OF DEED.

After making a futile attempt to kill
his divorced wife E-Out 4 O'Clock yester-
day afternoon. Leon Armer. a saloon
keeper from Eureka Is years Of age.
carried out his threat to take his own
life Turning his revolver upon himself
he fired shot into his breast. The bull
let penetrated his left lung. passing
within az inch of his heart and went
through his shoulder blade. shattering it.
Armer died at the Latter-day Saints hos
pital about 9 o'clock last night. The traS-
edy occurred at I5S East Second South
street, where Mrs. Matte Armer and her
sister. Miss Mamie McCaine. have been
living for several months.
Since their divorce. three years ago. Ar
mer has avowed his love for her and. it
is stated. has repeatedly asked her to for
get some differences and come back to
him again. Filled with jealousy he came
10 Salt Lake four or five days ago to see
what she was doing. Armer called at her
with him TO Eureka. She refused and
they had some trouble. Armer. II Is
stated, has been drinking heavily since he
came TO Salt Lake. The second time he
called to see his divorced wife he was
intoxicated She asked him TO leave her
rooms
Makes Threat of Murder.
Il will kill you and your sister and
then shoot myself and put an end to all
this trouble" he exclaimed when he left
i would rather kill you than live apart
from you.
That day he wrote 10 Eureka for his
gun. One Of his friends sent it TO him
yesterday morning by an Eureka man
who came to Salt Lake. After securing
the gun Armer went TO his former wife's
apartments. Mrs Armer saw his gun
and succeeded i'm getting il away from
him He quietly searched the rooms from
top to bottom At last he found the
weapon and placed it upon his
person. He went into the bedroom and
| lay down on the bed. Mrs. Armer went
| into the room. He started toward her
and she saw the gun. Screaming she ran
sister followed Mrs. Armer says that
she believes he snapped the gun at her
and that it failed 70 go Off Before
reaching the stairs the women heard the
mUffled report OF the revolver. They
dared not enter the room. but called for
the police. Officers William Hilton and
George Harris drove to the scene in tho
When the officers entered the room Ar
mer was lying partly on his face on the
bed. His gun had dropped from his hand
and Law on the floor beside the bed.
Blood flowed freely from his wound and
he was semi-conscious. Raising from the
bloOd-sOaked bed he mUttered a few words
that the officers were unable TO catch.
His teeth were clenChed and he heaved
and tossed about on the bed.
The stretcher was brought into service
and Armer was immediately taken to the
hospital. DR.. W. F. Beers was sum-
mOned and attended him. Armer's con-
ditiOn was found to be serious and IL Is
probable that his wound will he fatal He
was placed upon the operating table last
night and an operation was performed.
He passed through il. but his condition
was critical.
Formerly in Salt Lake.
Armer came TO Utah about ten wears
ago He was employed In Salt Lake as
n bartender for about two years. He
was married shortly before he came to
the state After living about six years
with his wife trouble arose and she filed
suit for divorce. She made a number OF
allegations in the COMPLAINT and a decree
was granted I'm her favor. After their
| divorce Armer went TO Eureka and since
then Mrs. Armer had been living in Salt
| Lake. Shortly after her divorce she sent
for her sister. who was in Colorado, to
! come and live with her.
Mrs. Armer could not be found last
night at her apartments. After the trag-
/ edy she and her sister left the rOominE
! house and did not return last night The
! affair unnerved her and she was much
distressed while talking with the off
! GERS about her case. Mrs. Armer IS
] . % hoe