The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-03-25
TACOMA GIRL.
ENDS LIFE
Despondent Over Love
Affair She Shoots
Herself In the
Head
CAPTAIN FITZGERALD HINTS
AT MURDER THEORY.

AbSSouoO AAOA AoahCh eshA0 AAAONAASA
objected to her suiter and forbid
her entertaining him, Katherine
Paetz, aged %, who lived with
her parents at the corner of North
Twenty-fOurth and Mason avenue,
ran away from home last Monday
and committed suicide by shoot
ing herself through the head.
Body Found in Shack.
Her body was found in a shack
at the corner of North Twenty
second and Tyler streets last night
with a bullet hole in the head, evil
IDENTIFY inflicted by her own hand,
to end the life which she deemed
not worth living without the right
to love the man of her choice.
Her parents objected seriously
to her love affair and a quarrel
resulted at the Paetz home over
the matter. Katherine left the
house Monday night and did not
return. No word was heard from
her and search was finally insti-
tuted. The discovery was made
last night of the body in the
building on Tyler street.
George N. Wilson, the young
woman's suiter, lives but a few
doors from the Paetz home. Miss
Paetz had been accustomed to
meeting him in the evenings and
walking about the city with him.
Police Notified.
The police were notified Of the
affair late this afternoon, and,
after making a cursory investiga-
ton, Captain of Detectives Fitz-
gerald expressed the belief that
the girl might have been murder
ed. The conclusion was reached
because when found the young
woman's face and head was neatly
covered with a plaid cape which
she was wearing hen lest seen.
Young Willison, who is employ
ed at the Balfour-Guthrie offices,
was reported at work today, but
could not be located at a late hour
this afternoon.
Body at Hoska's.
The body, after being found
last night, was taken to Hoska's
undertaking parlors. Although
Coroner Shaver was on the scene
a short time after Mrs. Paetz had
found the dead body of her daugh-
ter, the affair was kept quiet until
late this afternoon, and even the
police were not notified until late
today.
Mr.. and Mrs. Paetz and the four
brothers of the dead girl were at
Hoska's this afternoon and show
ed great grief over the loss of
their daughter and sister. Cor
oner Shaver stated that 1t was on
account of the deep sorrow of the
young woman's relatives that he
had suppressed the affair.
Used Heavy Revolver.
The revolver used by the girl
was of .38 ca1iber and had but one
cartridge in its chambers. Owing
to the fact that the cape, which
was found thrown Ger the girls
head, did not have bullet hole in
1t at the place where it covered
her right temple, Captain Fitz-
gerald is of the belief that she
might have beenmurdered. The
revolver, according to Coroner
Shaver, was only loosely placed in
her hand, contrary to the usual
death-grip Of suicides.
Mother Tells of Tragedy.
Mrs. Paetx, mother of the young
woman, says that she found the
dead body OF her girl by accident.
IT thought I heard "A shot," she
said, "but I did not pay any at
tention to It. Later took our
COW out to pasture. and In doing
so passed by the unused wood
shed. BY the merest chance I
glanced inside and caught sight
of Kittie's plaid cape. Then +
rushed inside and seized the cape
from her head.
'sShe was a horrible sight. The
bullet had evidently gone into her
right temple, as there was blood
all over the right side of her
face. and the right eye had been
forced out of its socket and dan
gled down her cheek. will never
forget the sight as long as I live.
i believe that ! tainted, for I
found myself SO dazed afterwards
that I could hardly leave the
place. Then 1 called my husband
and he called the coroner ON the
telephone"