Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-01-22
ASKS GOD TO FORGIVE
AS SHE HAS FORGIVEN
Holly Resented InsinuatiOnS
Against Her Character Brought
Out in Court Yesterday
Wept on Witness Stand
Twice.

Mrs. Pearl Turner, 80 years old,
whose divorce case against her hus-
band, Mark G. Turner, mail car
rer employed at the local postoffice,
has been on trial in the district court
for the past two days. shot and kill
ed herself shortly after o'clock
this morning, at the home of her
parents. MIR. and Mrs. Charles Mau-
sard, 62S North Second street.
Death was almost instantaneous.
Mr. and Mrs. MauSard are prostrated
with grief. Mr.. Turner, the hus-
band, is at the home of his parents
1902 West Fruit avenue, and is in
consolable.
Mrs. Turner left a lengthy note
addressed to her mother. The note
states that she could not bear the
charges made and insnuated against
her character in the divorce pro-
Gee dings. 1t asks her mother to for
give her and asks that God forgive
her for taking her own life, and that
He forgive her husband as she her
self had forgiven him. The note
requests that her body be kept in the
home of her parents and not turned
funeral be conducted as simply and
quietly as possible. The note is the
most pathetic part of tragedy
which teens with pathos
| 1t gives directions as to hhw the
| body is to be arrayed for burial and
expresses the hope that the husband
will show the same love for his chill
dren as that given them by the mo-
Note Not Made Public.
The note was not made public. 1t
was addressed to the mother, and
upon her instructions, it has been
secreted by friends until she is able
| to read it. The above statement of
what it contained was made public
| by friends of Mrs. Mausard who
read the note a few minutes after
the tragedy. 1t was written in lead
pencil and covered several pages of
note paper.
Friends of the Mausards at the
home this morning talked freely of
| the tragedy. They stated that Mrs.
Turner slept very little last night.
She was driven almost to the point
Of insanity by the trying ordeal of
! severe day on the witness stand
| In her divorce case. She wept con-
| stantly, tore ner hair in anguish and
walked the floor a greater part of
| the night. She was finally soothed
to rest by her aged mother. who left
| the bcdchamber when the daughter
firally fell into fitfu slumber.
About 8 o'clock this morning, Mrs.
I Turner arose. She donned a light
rain coat over her nightgown and
put on a light pair of bedroom slip
pers.
Placed Bedchambcr in Order.
she then placed her pretty little
| bedchamber in order to the minutest
| detail, spreading the covers neatly
over the bed and rearranging the
many little photos and trinkets on
| the dresser Apparently she next
sat down at a small writing desk and
hurriedly dashed off the farewell
note to her mother about which so
| much secrecy has been shown.
The frail little woman. once an
attractive, happy girl, apparently
| then walked TO the dresser and stood
before the mirror.
She placed a Al caliber Colts re-
volver 10 her left breast, just an inch
| or so above the heart. with the muz-
/ le pointed Obliquely downward. The
next Instant her mother and little
daughter heard a mufHed shot
They opened the door 10 the bed
room and found Mrs. Turner prone
upon the floor. There was a small.
ugly-looking bullet wound in her
breast, with a border OF powder
| burned clothing about il. The pis-
| io' lay near her hand 10 one side.
! Mrs Mausard threw her arms
! about her daughter. crying hyster-
/ icdliv. The little girl ran to the
home or Mrs. Luke Walsh. a friend
| and nearby neighbor.
Mrs Walsh was stlI IN bed. but
| dressed hurriedly and entered the
| MauSard home Mrs. Turner was
breathing her last In the arms Of
her aged mother. who was crying
out piteously:
30, Pearl-why did YOU do this?
| Why did you do thls?"
Mrs Turner gasped once as Mrs.
Walsh placed her hand TO the dying
woman's forehead. She then lay
| motionless.
DR.. Hope, the family physician,
who arrived a few minutes later In
response TO hurried call, pro-
nounced the woman dead.
L