The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-09
VANCE TO Be
CHARGED WITH
WIFE MURDER
Doctors Find Mrs. VanCe'S
Death Was Due to Mer-
CuriaI Poisoning.
HUSBAND MUST FACE
TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE
DARK TRAGEDY FOLLOWS QUAR-
REL OVER OVERFILLING OF
CUP OF COFFEE.
Story of the Crime.

Story of the Crime.
y Nov. 26-Mrs. Vance beaten into in ,
y sensibility by her husband. =
= Nov. 2f-Poison is placed in "a glass =
y of water which she drinks
y Dec. Mrs. Vance is removed TO =
= st. Marks hospital. and her hus- ,
= band is arrested charged with bat >
y terry. y
4 Dec. Mrs. Vance makes an ante 3
: norton statement discriminating her >
: Dec Tablets are found in ;
y Nance's trunk
> Dec. 6-Dr. A. A. Kerr's analysis ;
= of the tablets show that they con y
= tain bromide Of mercury. Vance is =
= charged with assault with intent to >
= kill.
y Dec. S-AIrs Vance dies after thir- >
y teen days of suffering. Post norton =
y examination shows that death is
= caused by mercuriai poisoning. .
%<%<~%%%%%%%%% ~4A&4-A
In the case Of Mrs Thomas Vance. who
died at St. Marks hospital yesterday
morning, the authorities are confronted
with domestic tragedy. back Of which
is a story Of brutality and crime TO which
Il would be hard 10 give credence were
the details not written by the dead wo-
mans own hand
Thomas Vance. the husband. will today
be charged with murder i'm the first de
gree. He will he accused Of having pOis-
oned his wife, after having cruelty beaten
four little children who. clingiug to him
and sobbing out appeals for mercy to
their mother. were pOWerieSS to prevent
the savage blows. which ended only when
Mrs. Vance sank unconscious upon the
floor. These four motherless little chill
dren will be witnesses against their
father
Mrs Vance leaves two daughters and
two SONS. Lena. the oldest, is II years
old: Edward is Q Florence is : and Albert
is ,. All except Albert know something
about the treatment Mrs. Vance received
from her husband Little Albert alone.
not knowing the dark storm that has
broken upon the household. cries only
when he grows lonely and wants TO see
mamma
Due to Poisoning.
After Mrs. vance's death an autopsy
was performed by DR. A. A. Kerr. Dr. ".
r CalderwoOd and Or. f. A Raley. At
the end of this post norton examination
DR. Kerr announced that Mrs VanCe's
death had been due to mercurial pois-
oning
The examination leaves no doubt that
Mrs Nance's death was caused by pol
SON." said DR.. Kerr. owing to her ply
steal condition, her injuries might have
caused death had the poison not been
administered 1t is probable that the ia
tai effect Of the poison was made more
swift because Of the injuries, and treat
ment was made more difficult because or
them, but that she died of poisoning the
dulOpSA NOItlUSlNtlt SilDNtt
County Attorney Willard Hanson stated
last night that Vance will be charged
with murder i'm the first degree TO-DAY.
Justice of the Peace Dana IT. Smith. act
ing as coroner, VIII at once impaneI
jury and commence an investigation into
the case. Vance viii be held without
bail until brought to trial
On Her Death Bed.
Thirteen days have now passed since
Vance made his attack uDOn his wife.
During the first five days Vance remained
at his home at SCI South Seventh West
street and il was not until the sixth day
that his arrest was caused by Mrs.
Nance's sister. Mrs. George ". Vance. Of
137 South Eighth West street. This was
on the day that Mrs. Vance was removed
DR.. A. A. Kerr, who Informed the sur
fering wCman's sister that there was lit
tie hope of her recovery.
Mrs. George Vance, who had at first
hesitated to cause the arrest of her broth
er-in-law. on hearing the physicians
gloomy verdict. at once went to the aU-
thOritieS. But she at the time told only
part of the story and could charge Vance
on her complaint and taken before Police
Judge Diehl, who held Vance for eXami-
nation under $500 bail. This Vance was
unable to give. He had no friend who
that amount in his behalf
More Serious Charge Filed.
After the man had been in the city Jail
a few days, he was aTTaigned. but owing
to the condition of Mrs. Vance. who was
lowering between life and DEATH Assist
ant City Attorney DAILY asked that the
case be continued.
This filled Vance with wrath. Anxiety
was gnawing at his heart and he was
eager to depart from the prison
He demanded an immediate hearing in
language which showed scant respect for
the court
you shall have a hearing said Judge
Diehl. in reply to the mans Outburst
IF your wife does not die, you shall
have a hearing. If she dies you shall
have a hearing. The case is continued
Vance was led back to his cell IN the
city Jail.
In County Jail.
Saturday. when death seemed to be very
near to Mrs. Vance. and when the au-
JhOrities had been Informed of the dark
story told by the dying woman. new
charge against Vance was made by Mrs
George Vance This was assault with
intent to kill. He was removed from the
city Jail at police headquarters to the
county jail. There he has been held i'm
of his wifes death and the
charge of murder.
The crime with which Vance Is charged
grew out Of trivial dispute over a cup
had been out of work for some time. and
on the morning Of Tuesday. Nov. 26 left
his home in search of employment. At
noon he returned, apparently i'm a good
Continued on Page ?.