The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-07-14
FLORENCE RioRDAN ENDS MARI
tai WOES ~ USING GUN
ON HER SPOUSE.
AT CENTRAL PARK
Married at Big Timber Late Last
Month Soon After Settlement Of
Suit Which Woman Started to
validate Marriage contract-coro.
ner's Jury Holds Her culpable.
The body OF Timothy Riordan lies

on glass slab in Smiths undertake
ing rooms, cold in death, and Ills wife
Florence Riordan occupies cell in the
county jail. charged with murder by q
coroner's jury, as a result Of q tragedy
at Central Park Sunday noon, which
formed the closing chapter Of tale
Of the marital woes Of an i'll mated
and unhappy pair. Arrangement Of
fancied or real wrongs or insane jea-
lousy is the only motive that has thus
far been advanced for the crime.
There were no eye witnesses to
the crime, the nearest person being
Mrs. Riordan's 11-year old daughter
who was in the dancing pavilion Of
the park, several hundred feet away.
J. P. McGinnity, manager OF the park
and proprietor Of the saloon. where
Riordan was employed as bartender
Sunday, hurried to the scene when he
heard the shots and wrested the smok-
ing weapon from the woman's grasp.
Later he telephoned for the officers
and when Deputy Sheriff Matlock and
Chief Of Police Talgo arrived on the
scene they found Riordan's slayer
seated on bench a short distance
from where the body Of her victim
lay, calmly awaiting the arrival Of re-
representatives. Of the law to take her
In custody.
Mc0lnnIty's Story.
McGinnity's story Of the affair
told at the coroners inquest yester-
day in Substantially as follows:
Mrs. Riordan came out to the park
with her little girl Sunday about noon
and called for Riordan saying that
she wished private colloquy with
him. The pair walked q short dis
tance away from the saloon to a
fence on the west side Of the building
and after sending the little girl to the
pavilion, they seated themselves en-
the grass and appeared to engage in
earnest but subdued conversation.
Presently McGinnity heard two
shots and as he hurried to the scene
he saw Mrs. Riordan backing away
from the prostrate form Of her hus-
band with revolver. in her hand,
pointed toward the mans body. When
he reached her side he took the gun
away from her, observed at q glance
that Riordan was beyond hope, so far
as saving his life was concerned and
hastened to the telephone, where he
Informed the officers Of the occur
renee.
Lived 50 Minutes.
When he returned Riordan was
still alive but was bleeding profusely
from his mouth. nose and the wounds.
one In each temple. The man did not
move his body, hut several times rails
ed his head during his labored breath
ing. McGinnity estimates that Rior.
dan lived at least 80 minutes and says
that when he reached the woman's
side she exclaimed. 1--WE killed him.
I'm his wife and he'll never abuse me
any more"
On the arrival Of the coroner and
officers the woman was taken in Gus.
tody, placed in a hack and brought
to this city and the body taken to the
undertaking rooms. Under Riordan'a
body pocket knife, a small blade Of
which was open was found and this
has been identified as the dead mans
property by his employer. Jen Brew.
er. who asserted yesterday that he
had seen the knife frequently. as Rior
dan was In habit Of whiting on
stick quite often. s
On her way to this city. Il e said
that Mrs. Riordan again said some
thing to the effect that her husband
would not abuse her any more and
attempted to exhibit what abe declar
ed was q marriage certificate.
Carried Gun II Handbag.
It Is believed that Mrs.. Riordan
sagssol - sevollvse. Win wAieA ~
shot her husband, IN q small leather
handbag, which McGinnity testified
was open shortly aftsr the discovery
Of the crime. The gun was . - cali