The San Francisco call., 1910-06-09
death OR DIVORCE,
and REAPER Wins
Husband of Grand President of
Native Daughters Shoots
Himself Through Heart
- =
Theron r. Lille, Prominent in
Lodi, EIudes Friends and
Ends Own Life
IseseiaL piseoleE 10 The Call

STOCKTON, June s.-After writing
a letter to an undertaken announcing
his intention TO commit suicide and
leaving Instructions for the DISPOSE
ton Of his remains. being caught in
the act OF shooting himself and dis
susded from his purpose temporarily,
Theron r. Lille, a prominent resident
of Lodi. finally eluded his friends and
made away with himself this morning
by shooting himself through the heart
with & revolver
Liquor and financial and family
troubles were responsible for the rash
act.
WIFE Is PROMINENT
Lille was the husband of Emma w.
Lille, grand president Of the Native
Daughters Of the Golden West, and
IL is said that he resolved to commit
suicide on receiving a letter from her
announcing her intention to bring an
5ion for divorce.
last Saturday Lille penned the fol-
lowing note TO John Scott of the un-
derta king firm Of Hale & Scott of Lodi:
Come up and get me over Beck
man, WEIGH & Thompson's store
III the new part. Tell Sam AXtell
TO put simple note in the paper
.. and the knights of Pythias to make
: Vo against IT good and hard.
7. r. LILLE (TEDDY).
NOT YET NERVED
- Scott was out conducting a funeral
at the time the letter arrived at his
oflce. On his return about o'clock in
THE afternoon he found the note,
Opened IL and on reading the startling
epistle hurried to Lilies room over
. 3ecman, Welch & Thompson's store
on. Sacramento street. Fred Lee, a
3 distsnt relative; Constable Burkholder
. and George Moore joined Scott.
- Entering Lilies room they found
lsim lying on the bed with a revolver
in his hand. The weapon was pointed
at his head, but he had evidently not
pulling the trigger. His friends
wrested the revolver from his hands.
Lille then became Unstrung. His
friends talked TO him, took him out for
a long drive and finally succeeded in
pacifying him. He told him that he
had received a letter and that il was
all Up with him." From his talk his
friends gathered that Emma w. Lille
was about TO institute action against
him for divorce Lille refused 10 show
the letter. however. and a search failed
10 discover it.
ELUDES HIS WATCHERS
noon Lille was watched closely by
Those aware of his attempt at suicide.
This morning at 7:20 o'clock Lille
passed through the Social Circle sa-
loon, greeted Perry Gum cordially and
passed out. At 9:45 o'clock Fred Lee
OF the Lodi hotel went TO Lilies room
snd found him lying on the floor in a
pool of blood. His shirt was open and
there was a bullet hole over the stom-
ach. In his hand he grasped a revolt
yer
Lee Immediately notified the author
titles. Coroner B. c. Wallace was sum-
mOned and, in company with Deputy
Coroner John O. Angel, lastened to
Lodi TO take charge of the remains. An
inquest was held and a verdict of
death due TO suicide was returned. It
was found that the pistol bullet had
ranged upward and pierced the heart.
Lille was a native of Canada, aged
- years. Among his friends he was
populsrly known as Teddy" His
brother, Harry Lille, now conducts a
grocery in Berkeley. At the time
of his death Lille was conducting a
dyeing and cleaning establishment in
Lodi.
p His marriage proved an unhappy
venture. and it is said that he started
.ilpon the downward path when stories
of his matrimonial difnculties became a
matter Of gossip in Lodi a few years
ago. Lille left his wife and went
east. spending several months with
relatives in Canada. On his return he
entered business in partnership with
MS brother in Lodi, running an auto
mobile garage ana cyclery. He took
to drink, however, is said to have
neglected his business and soon became
financially involved. He attained ma
tiOnal prominence by riding wheel
across the continent