Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-03-29

A terrible tragedy was enacted in
room 80 Of the Orphoum hotel 13S
south State street. shortly before s
o'clock Saturday night. when Jan T..
Morris wantonly murdered his vito
and then shot himself Morris placed
ehe muzzle OF a % caliber revolver
under the left side Of his wifo's Jaw
and sent a bullet crashing through her
brain. She was killed instantly. Then
placing the muxzle OF the weapon ia
his mouth he fired q bullet into his
own brain. He lived until 1895 when
he died at 81. Marks hospital
The persons involved in the tragedy
are all well known here and the news
of the murder and suicide spread
rapidly. Jan Morris was the son Of
the late Isadoro Morris. The wife
whose maiden name was Gtlssls Dee
Felts OF Eureka. Cal. was formerly
the wife OF Willard Bean well
known athlete and boxing instructor
Because Of her infatuation for Norris
Mr.. Bean secured a divorce from his
wife at Reno. New, and secured the
custody OF the two children, a boy
and "a girl
That Mrs. Morris was tired 81 tho life
she was leading and the brutality of
her husband, and wanted TO AFFECT "a
reconciliation with Bean. there can DE
no doubt. and II Is quite certain that
this desire on her part led to the
quarrel between the man and the
woman and ended in their death.
Tho young woman married willard
Bean in 1893 and ne secured a divorce
IN August Of 1908. In September she
married Morris and since that time
her life had been anything but happy
WAS DlsANELT JEALOUS.
In spite OF the fact that Morris had
repeatedly beaten his wife and on
more than one occasion shot at her. he
was insanely Jealous OF the woman
and 10 is claimed that his condition
Just preceding the murder bOrdered
on insanity. but those in any way faml-
liar with the case believe his terrible
acts were premeditated. In Reno he
attacked his wife several times. once
dragging her through the streets, blood
streaming from wounds he had iniict-
cd. on one occasion, In the presence
Of her little boy. he fired three shots
at her and threatened repeatedly TO
XIII her and then himself Saturday
night he carried out his Oft repeated
threats.
After the couple married. they operat-
ed the ELK hotel at Reno. on March
Q. they came 20 Salt Lake ana took
rooms at the Orpheum. While stop
ping there thew engaged I'm many
uuarrels and two weeks ago the land
lady, Mrs Bartlett ordered Morris
from the place. Mrs. Morris stated
she was going TO idaho. on Thursday
Nrs. Morris told Mrs. Bartlett that she
and her husband had settled their
differences and there would be no
more trouble. With this understand
ing the man was permitted TO return 70
tile house.
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
About : O'Clock Saturday evening
Mrs. Morris was in her room and Mrs
Fielding and Mrs. Thompson. TWO
friends living IN the same house, were
with her. Morris came In and the
two women left. They had scarcely
reached their own apartments when
Two shots we're heard. Thore was no
sound OF a struggle nor a scream.
Morris evidently seized his wife by the
neck. thrust the weapon under her
chin, on the left side, and pulled the
trigger. Instantly no fired a bullet
into his own brain. The two women
rushed down the hallway and Mrs.
Bartlett. who heard the shots, quickly
notified the police.
Patrolmen Simpson and Mccormack
and DR.. r. b. Steele were soon on
the scene. They found Mrs. Morris
dead where she had fallen, in a pool
OF blood. while Morris was writing
on the fioor. a revolver clutched In
his hand. The man was taken 20 the
emergency hospital where Drs. Beer