Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-24
Driller Shoots Down
Former Wife and
Kills Himself
Frequently Threatens to
Slay Woman if
She Marries
Fred Flanders Ends Life of Mrs. Jack
FiIl<lns In Her Home-Awful
Tragedy Prostrates
Husband

Brooding over fancied wrong which
his divorced wife had done him in
marrying again, Fred Flanders went
temporarily insane and last evening
at O'Clock shot and killed Mrs. Kitty
Filkins, who secured a divorce from
Flanders three years ago and who
married Jack Filkins three months ago,
and then committed suicide.
The tragedy occurred at the Filkins
fiat at Ala North Hill street.
After firing three shots into his
former wife's body, Flanders put the
revolver to his head and pulled the
trigger. He died about twenty min
utes after committing the murder.
According to the statement of Jack
Fillxins, husband of the murdered wo-
man, Flanders had made many threats
against the womans life and she was
thoroughly afraid of him.
Flanders is said to have been
habitual drunkard and user of drugs.
About O'Clock yesterday afternoon
Flanders sent a note to Filkins by
messenger boy. In the note was writ
ten only the words del Monte" but
Flanders had instructed the messenger
to tell Filkins to meet him at the Del
Monte saloon at o'clock.
1t is believed by the police that
Flanders wished to get FillSins to the
saloon for the purpose of killing him.
Filkins, however, told the messenger
that he would not come and that IL
Flanders wished to see him. to come to
the house.
Shoots Woman in Back
Flanders then went to the fiat at Ala
North Hill street and finding Mrs.
Filkins alone engaged her in CONVEX
sation. George H. Thompson, who also
lives at Ala North Hill, was present
when Flanders was talking to the wo-
man whom he afterward killed.
Thompson stated that at first the
conversation seemed ordinary, for
neither of the pair raised their voices
at all, but that later Flanders grew
most abusive, while the woman tried
to calm him.
According to Thompson Flanders
seemed slightly intoxicated Finally
the talk grew more subdued again and
Thompson had no fear as to the result
of the meeting.
Finally Mrs. Filkins turned her back
on Flanders and he started to go out
of the door. He then seemed to be
overcome with rage and drawing the
revolver from his pocket he fired at
Mrs. Filkins, Thompson was standing
directly behind the murdered woman
and If the shot had not struck Mrs
Filkins 1t must have passed through
his body.
The first bullet penetrated the wo-
mans shoulder, and although she
staggered she did not fall. The next
bullet went between her ribs and
passed clear through the body. 1t
struck a door leading into a kitchen
and buried itself there. Next the mad
dened murderer shot wide, missing her
entirely.
Murderer Shoots Himself
Mrs. FillSins staggered through the
kitchen and pushing the door to the
hallway aside she fell to the floor,
FLANDERS did not attempt to follow
her but placed the muSzle of the re-
volver under his right ear and pulled
the trigger. The bullet went clear
through his head and came out the
top of his skull. After he fired the
shot he fell upon a couch in the sitting
room, where he remained unconscious
until removed to the receiving hospital,
where he died.
The bullet tore so large a hole in
Flanders head that several pieces OF his
brain were washed out by the flowing
blood. About the couch where he fell
was a pool of blood several feet In ar
ameter. Mrs. Filkins was "A years Hof
age and was described by acquain-
tances as having a most lovable char
acter.
Even since Mrs Filkins secured a
divorce from Flanders three years ago
in Los Angeles on the grounds of
cruelty and non-support. Flanders has
married again he would kill her and
her new husband.
Had Threatened to Murder
Since the marriage with Filkins,
which took place three months, ago,
Flanders renewed his threats and 1t is
known that his former wife lived in
constant terror OF his revenge. That
her fears were justified was shown by
the murder y sterday. az
Patrolman Moranville Of the police
force stated last evening that he was
well acquainted with the whole family.
He said that Flanders was until re-
Gently a well driller i'm the employ of
the Westl9ke Oil company, For sew
eral days past he stayed at the ST.
Elmo rooming house on North Main
been drinking heavily. He was also
addicted to the use of morphine
When the tragedy occurred Filkins
was asleep upstairs and after hearing
the shots he went down stairs Arriv-
ing there he found the body of Flan-
iers smeared with blood near the foot
Of the stairs, while In the back hall
was the corpse of his bride Of three
months. Filkins, who was overcome
oy grief, was taken to the apartments
Df Mrs. f. j. Ray in the next house,
where he was treated by a physician