Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-01

and the heart-sorrows always following I'm
their path ended in another tragedy at 5;15
o'clock yesterday at Monrovia, near the
Santa Anita racing course, when the bea,,-
tlful and wealthy Mrs. L. Il De Armau. wife
Of the well known race horse owner, shot
and killed Mrs Helen Griffith known among
tout" and jOclSies as Lady BountifuI" aud
by other soubriquets. in the postoffce build
ing while the latter was extracting mail
from her letter box.
The shooting occurred while the
postoftice was almost empty and so
lar as known there We're but four wit
hesses to the tragedy three of whom
may never be located
-Four bullets were fired, but only one
of them took effect. this passing
through the head under the left ear
ana lodging in the woman's right
check, killing her instantly.
Mrs. Griffith had just returned from
Arcadia in an automobile belonging to
Courtney and Reach and driven by
chauffeur named Walter Holcomb
Both the machine and chauffeur are
said to have been regularly hired with
money belonging to De Arman for the
exclusive use of Mrs. Griffith 1t is
said to have been the same machine
tllelA, dullilS lilG last three months,
has played a shameful part in a series
of disgraceful events leading directly
up to yesterdays bloody tragedy.
Mrs. De Arman had been seen riding
about Monrovia and in the direction
of Baldwin's ranch for several hours
preceding the shooting. 1t is believed
she had mounted her pony for the sole
purpose of locating the woman who
had disrupted her home and left her
io1,t I,a of -t.i1
dren for period believed to have ex-
tended over the last five years.
Wife Awaits Woman
She wore Khaki riding habit COM
posed of a Jacket and split skirts and
gray hat, with a white waist and col
lar. In one hand she carried riding
whip and in the other under muf-
fer, 32-caliber hammerless Ivor-John-
son nickel plated pistol.
No attention was paid to her, as she
and her spotted pony were familiar
sight in the vicinity of Monrovia.
In the fore part of the day, when
Mrs. Griffith is said to have frequently
called for her mail. Mrs. De Ar4nan,
according to citizens of Monrovia, had
sat for an hour on the window seat
in the front of the postofiice. evidently
waiting for the appearance of the won1-
an on whom De Arnan is declared To
have lavished thousands of dollars.
at the cost of depriving his wife of
the pleasures and bounties to which
her years of faithfulness and labor
had entitled her.
After waiting an hour in the post
office. Mrs. De Arman. who gave no
indications of nervousness or concern,
and who chatted pleasantly with sew
eral of her acquaintances again mount
ed her horse and rode slowly away
in the direction of the Arcadia race
track. to which place she must have
known that Mrs. Griffith had gone.
At 5:15 o'clock p. m. Mrs. Griffith
rode up in a yellow Buick automobile
and gave her chauffeur some hurried
instructions. She entered the build
ing conscious of the fact that Mrs.
De Arman who had ridden hurriedly
ahead of her from the direction of
Arcadia. had hitched her pony to a
telegraph post nearby and was in wait
for her. She is said to have appeared
very anxious and i'll at ease, how
ever and to have glanced about her
furtively. indicating that trouble with
Mrs. De Arman had been expected.
She did not see Mrs. De Arman, it
would appear though the latter was
in the postoftice quietly awaiting her
entrance.
Enemies Pass Each Other
Mrs. Griffith must have passed Mrs.
De Arman without seeing her. The
latter stood just inside the doorway
statuesque. and those who had seen
her a few moments before the shoot
ing say that there was an expression
of stoical determination on her face.
The box in which Mrs. Griffith re-
ceiVed her mail is No. 315 and belongs
to Daniel and Dave Thomas. constable
and deputy constable respectively of
Monrovia, with whom Mrs. Griffith
boarded and roomed at the two-story
house ON Orange and Charlotte streets
BY some strange irony of fate 1t was to
the latter officer that Mrs. DE Arman
surrendered II few moments later.
Mrs Griffith was dressed in a black
skirt, white shirt waist of costly tex
ture. brown silk stockings and brown
oxford ties. with large brinlmed
panama hat trimmed with pale blue
ribbon and wearing short brown kid
gloves She glanced from right to left
in the main corridor of the office while
Mrs. De Arman stood directly behind
her, following her as the former pro
ceeded to the back of the postoffice
AS Mrs. Griffith opened box No. 5t5
Drs. De Arman stood at the corner of
the long mail cabinet near the general
delivery window, and drew her pistol.
A moment later the first shot echoed
through the building, the bullet strik-
ing the combination of the mail box
door. demolishing it. There was q
pause of one or two seconds, and Mrs.
Griffith. deathly white and screaming
dashed toward the 'front.'
waving her arms wildly In the direction
of her chauffeur. A second shot was
fired, this time the bullet striking the
woodwork above the mail boxes. It
pierced the wall and lodged in the
ceiling.
Mrs. Griffith endeavered frautically to
reach the front door. but when near
tho front window turned about as If
as to the direction from
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