The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-27
RETURNS ONLY TO
STAY HIS WIFE
When Wanderer Was Not Al
lowed to Enter Old Home
He Killed His Wife.
SUICIDE ATTEMPT FAILED.
LOUIS ARMOUR OF TOLEDO THEN
LEFT THE SCENE AND is STILL
AT LAReE-HIs LIFE ONE OF
MYSTERY.

Toledo, O., July 27.-Angered be-
cause after having been abandoned
for sixteen years by him, his success
full wife would not allow him to come
back into her heart and home, Louis
Armour, aged 81, former paving con-
tractor, murdered the woman Sunday
as she stood in her door preparatory
| to going to church, tried to kill his
daughter, and failed in an effort to
commit suicide when his revolver
failed to go off.
AS Mrs. Armour with prayer book in
hand, was opening her door, she was
startled upon seeing her husband, who
had left a month before, never to re-
turn, at which time he was seen by
her for the first time since he forsook
| his family sixteen years ago. Ask
ing her where she was going, he was
told to church. Upon her refusal to
allow him to come back into the home
again, some more words were ex-
changed, when he whipped out his re-
| volver and fired three shots at her.
One struck her back of the ear as she
turned to run, and she fell dying to
the floor. Her eldest daughter, Mrs.
d. Shea, rushed to the door and a
bullet was sent crashing in her direc-
| ton. Then the murderer turned the
weapon upon himself and tried to
commit suicide. but it failed to re-
| spond. Throwing 1t away he ran
down an alley until almost to a street,
when he walked leisurely along and
when asked by passing woman what
was wrong up the alley, he replied,
Nothing"
Police Surround City.
| That was the last seen of him.
Hundreds Of officers and citizens
are on the outlook and the city is vir-
tually surrounded by Gordon of Off
GERS and deputies, while the neighbour
ing country is up in arms. The entire
| life of Armour is one of mystery. Leav-
ing his family when the children were
but babies, and he was making a good
salary, he disappeared as though swal-
lowed up by the earth and until a
month ago he was thought dead by his
relatives and family. Where he has
spent his life and how is not known
by anybody here.
| But a month ago he suddenly ap-
peared in Toledo, and after finding
that his two daughters were well mar
ried and prosperous, that his son was
doing we'll and that the woman he for
sock had reared her family and got
| ten a home of her own, he tried to In
/ m
be taken back. But this the mother
and wife refused, and after seeing his
daughters he left, saying he would
never return again.
When he appeared at her door Sun
day morning, Mrs. Armour saw him
again for the second time in these
many years. Just what passed be-
tween them is not known, because the
daughter who was the only one to
hear, is hysterical and her life is de-
SPARED of. Ex-Patrolman Frank
Scott, who lives next door, summoned
aid, when he heard the shots, and the
dying woman was hurriedly placed In
an ambulance, but she died before the
hospital was reached.
Immediately every officer in the city
was summoned and the search for Ar
mour began, but SO far no success has
attended the efforts. His other
daughter, Mrs. Tom Fallon, was sum
moned from Cedar Point, where she
has a summer home, and the son, too
was called from a vacation.
Mrs Armour and her children have
for years been one of the most highly
respected old German families in the
city.
Posses are searching for Armour
but it is the belief that he has com
mitted suicide. Officers guard the
home, fearing that he may return, il
alive, to complete his murderous work