Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-04
NERVES WRECKED,
WOMAN ENDS LIFE
Mrs. ThroWer Shoots Self in /.
M. Griffith'S Home-DieS
In Hospital
HIS PICTURE IN HANDBAG
Came Here Month Ago; Studied
at Good Samaritan Hos
pitaI as Nurse
HIS PICTURE IN HANDBAG

Six hours after being treated in the
receiving hospital for a nervous attack
from which she was suffering, Mrs.
Helen Thrower, an attractive woman
21 years Of age, shot herself in the head
in the home of Mr.. and Mrs. l.. M.
Griffith, 321 Gertrude street, last even
ing. She was taken to the receiving
hospital a second time, and died there
at 6:45.
Mrs. Thwore was in Ill health
Whether that fact prompted the act is
a mystery The Grlffiths were old
friends. Griffith stated at the police
station last night that when he and
Mrs. Thrower were single they kept
company. 1t Is not clear, however, that
fact had anything to do with the
tragedy.
Mrs. Thrower was in Ill health.
four weeks ago and obtained employ
ment in the Good Samaritan hospital.
She had planned to become trained
nurse. She was divorced, 1t is stated.
Her former husband is believed to be
in Goldfleld, New. Her mother, Mrs.
Helen Gorwhie, lives at O'Neals,
stall town near Fresno. Griffith noti-
fed her of her daughters death and
wrote q letter while in the detectives
OIIlCe Ut LH6 central pOllCo StotiOhs
ROMANCE FORGOTTEN
Griffith was questioned by the detec-
tiVes soon after the woman died. He
could throw no light on her reason for
ending her life. He stated frankly that
at one time he keut company with her
However, she married, and he did like
wise, and he regarded the romance as
an episode that had been forgotten by
both. He said his wife met Mrs
Thrower several years ago, and later
while ill, summoned Mrs. Thrower to
nurse her The two women became
close friends.
Because of past events Mrs. Griffith
showed great distress over the tragedy.
Almost hysterical for awhile, she
moaned:
"Oh, I know her people will blame
me for this-I know they will.
Despite her fears the detectives as
sured her that suicide due to Ill health
which apparently caused some mental
arrangement was so plainly indicated
that she should calm herself
At noon yesterday message
reached police headquarters that
woman was acting queerly In Broad
way confectionery store. The police
ambulance was sent to the store and
Mrs. Thrower was found there, ap-
parently on the verge of 81 nervous
collapse. She was taken to the receiv-
ing hospital. She refused to give her
name or tell anything about herself.
TAKES MRS. THRAwER HOME
An investigation of her handbag re-
vealed photograph of Griffith. This
she seized, tore to fragments and
threw on the floor. She asked that
Griffith be notified. He went to the
hospital about 1 o'clock and took Mrs.
Thrower to his home.
.Irs. Griffith persuaded Mrs. Throw
er to go to bed. She saw Griffith'S
revolver under a pillow on the bed.
She took it and placed 1t in dresser
in the room. Mrs. Griffith then went
to the home of Mrs. S. b. Mckee, a
neighbor and was conVersing with her
when both heard a shot fired.
Mrs. Griffith rushed back home.
Opening the bedroom door she found
Mrs. Thrower lying at the foot of the
bed, the revolver a few feet from her
right hand. She called Mrs Mckee, |
and they tried to revive the dying
woman. In a few minutes Griffith ar
rived home. He called a physician, |
but nothing could be done. Mrs. |
Thrower was taken to the receiving |
hospital, where she died, thirty min
utes after inflicting the wound. The |
bullet entered her brain.
Detectives learned, in the course of |
their investigation, that Mrs. Thrower |
left the hospital yesterday without the |
consent of the head nurse. Her de-
parture was not noticed at the time.