Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-10
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
At LEW|Sv|[LE
.---------------
Miss Irene Miller Meets Death at
Hands OF Man She Would
Not Marry.
:, AIN IN HER SISTERS HOME.
Mar Assassin Was R. F. Couch OF
Missouri, Principal OF the
District School.
.,o, of n s'Past" in His Life,
Engagement Was Broken ana
Ring Returned.
especial to the ''News.")

fsnecial to the News. }
,,.hv Ida. Jan, lo.-The little
,,u,u Of l.ewisyIlle was thrown into u
49, og excitement last night and To-
he announcement being MADE
N.Y., p n Couch, the principal OF me
,'s,,sct schools here, had shot ana
S,,,ed Miss Irsne Miller of MIL Creek
sn, oks county. Miss Miller was
onc Of the teachers under Mr.. Couc"
jurisdiction. The cause of the terri
h,e tragedy is said to be based upon
i've breaking off of an engagement
and the return Of the ring which was
me token OF their compact.
THEIR FINAL MEETING,
Miss Miller was living with her
sister Mrs. winchester. While MI
Couch boarded some distance away,
with family named Hogan Lase
night he called upon his affianced and
bad a final talk with her regarding
her future intentions. The subject
4 was An exceedingly delicate one ana
lthe family retired, leaving them IN
lone of the rooms OF the house. 10
|conslder the question alone,
MISS MILLER FALLS DEAD.
About ii O'Clock MI and Mrs. VIM
leicester were suddenly aroused by
1AIiss Miller opening the door of their
room, staggering across the floor, ex-
rlsiming Il have been shot and then
Mailing Iifeless upon the bed. The
'entire family was aroused and imme-
|oiately commented an investigation.
AS they did 50 they heard a shot on
|the outside Of the house. and passing
Through the Kitchen. found Couch
dead upon the ground. having fired
a bullet into his own head. IN a few
moments a general connection of the
whole neighborhood followed, ard the
little town was shaken at the double
murder as never before in its history.
WOULD NOT RECONSIDER.
Just what took place between Couch
and Miss Miller before the tragedy oc-
Cured is not known in detail. 1t is
known, however. that Couch endeavored
10 his utmost 10 dissuade Miss Miller
from giving him up. and that she was
fTm in her refusal to reconsider. a
fact that impelled him to commit his
Imurderous deed. 1t is evident Couch
had concluded that his case was hope
less, nasmueh as he had brought d
revolver with him. 1t seems that he
mad arrived at the conclusion that II
shc would not be his wife, she should
never be welded to another man: al
% mat In losing her he felt in his
dependency that he had lost all, and
mat there was nothing else to live for,
"nsreupon he put an end TO the careers
Of them both.
a PAST SUSPECTED.
WI very much Is known here con-
|'s'hlhg the antecedents of Couch. ex-
YEP that he came here from Missouri
a'' september and accepted the prin-
'pl''nip Of the Lewlsville schools,
sven miles distant from Rigby. Miss
s"sr spent the holidays with her peo-
ny ~ SAT- Lake county. where they
r''e 70 nave been married ON Dec. 27.
wv 'nefe Couch had gone for the pur-
Ds OF the wedding, leaving here a
oays after her departure. Arriv-
~ mere however he found that the
Hau experienced change OF heart
'sa'u'ng him and that her family
al put themselves In opposition to the
4 49, Jug, From Miss Millers own lips
,.. ,ssrned that the wedding could
~, 'sAe place, II is intimated that
No. .', was a past" in the young mans
time. '''' oe verified at this
inH OFFICIAL INQUEST.
,.m M u''iclal inquest was held over tho
|,o5a~ w., VI the murderer and his victim
y ~ ~" before Coroner Martin Harris ans
Taylo. 'V,pposed Of Il. c. Goody, Albert
4 V,, Welby Welker, Bishop .,ar,,ne
fonDs '4a'leF and Samuel Marlcr. They
dsam mat Miss Miller came 10 he,
lana ~, ~ a bullet wound IN the neck
|sel, at her slayer died from ,wo
II wa' ''po wounds in his breast.
|tho, y, aS made clear in the testimonv
sIds !, shooting took place on the our.
|slsy,.,' ae house and that Miss Miller
|hsy s. " into it and to tho bodroom ~
1 been ~, and husband after She had
LAUGHED AND cHArTEp.
satIon a !, disclosed during the lnvost,-
Mir ~ Dnal Couch laughed and chat,ed
,tIs,. ."e family and played with ,hs
| hst \" oelore their retirement ana
|sl,b1,se gave no evidence al an Or I ,ha
autbor,.,,ols he was about to enact Tho
sou,i ,,, wired his relatives IN M,s'
remain. me- morning and are holding b,s
home s'n '. until they hear from Them I |,s
b YEA. az Westyille. Mo. He was
Known '' Of age and practically n naa
''" IN Idaho. There Is no,, un-