The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-31

/ mo, Kan, shot her through the breast
at the foot of the stairs leading to her
apartments Wednesday night. killing
her. Heron then turned the gun on
himself, firing q bullet through his
head. He died later.
Heron was drunk when he went to
/ Mrs. Gossard's home According to
Mrs. MilIie Deeds, a manicure living
| across the hall, Mrs. Gossard saw Her
ron approaching the house She called
to Mrs. Deeds to lock the doors. Jack
is coming she told Mrs Deeds, and
I don't want any trouble"
In response to Herron's call, Mrs
Gossard went to the bottom Of the
stairway, which leads to the street.
Heron became abusive. The woman
called to Tarpley to make Heron go
away and he called him outside Her.
ron responded good naturedly.
Called SeconG; Time.
Heron went away but returned with
in few minutes and again called Mrs.
Gossard to the bottom Of the stair on
the pretext that he would pay her 500
he owed her for board Before she
would agree to see him, the woman
told him she would come down if he
would pay her
Then two shots were heard. Running
to the stairs. Tarpley found th.e body
Of Mrs. Gossard, face downward. On
top of her body. Heron lay prostrate
blood gushing from a wound n the
side of his head.
Herrons body was dragged 10 the
sidewalk and Tarpley washed the blood
from Mrs. Gossard's face, thinking she
had been shot in the head She died
before he had finished
Fayette Deeds, the 12-year-old son OF
Mrs. MiIlie Deeds, was the only eye
witness to the shooting. With MS
mother he had gone to the head OF the
stairs, believing that Heron meant to
make trouble. Mrs Deeds mad turned
w., mt o. g1ff
tne hoy stood in the door at the head
Of the stairs when he saw the two
flashes, one following Immediately af-
ter the other.
ron had ever threatened Mrs Gossard,
said Mrs. Deeds this morning. she
and were very close friends, but she
had never told me of his having made
threats. She came here some tune ago
10 he near me so could teach her the
manicure business. She had become
proficient and had just purchased an
outfit of instruments. 1 was trying 70
get her in at the kupper noteI ana sne
had heen promised a place there,
when Heron made his tlTst call,
Mrs. Gossard and I were just getting
ready 10 go downtown to some OF the
nickel shows. She had said she want
ed to get out of the house for while
and Heron came while we were pre-
pairing to go out"
Heron formerly had boarded with
Mrs Gosoard while she was conduct
ing a small rooming and boarding
house When he left her place, he
owed her $50, according to Mrs. Cos
sard's statement to Mrs. Deeds, and it
was on the pretext of paying this |
that he had gained admission |
to Mrs Gossard's apartm ents on sew |
eraI occasions recently. After getting |
in, he would invariably plead with her
to live VITA him. and it was because
of his infatuation that Mrs. Gossard |
feared trouble
The dead woman's mother, Mrs. A.
E. MarkIe Of Chanute, Kan, and two /
brothers. j. Fletcher Markle of Cha
nue. and A. B. Markle, a drug clerk
at Parsons Kan, arrived Wednesday
night after learning of her death Her
husband E. L. Gossard, a brakeman,
was located at Emporia, Kan, while
on his run and notified of the killing.
A sister, Mrs. A L. Beardsley, living
in Chicago, will arrive in Kansas City
soon and accompany the family and
body to Chanute, where it will be tax
IN this evening for burial.
Mrs. Gossard had been married be-
fore her marriage to Gossard. Her
first husband was Hal Brown. q Santa
Fe conductor. who lives in Fort Madi-
son. Iowa
Herron's body was removed to thel