The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-23
T0|NVEST|GATE
AUSTIN s DEATH
County Attorney Starts Inquiry
Into Mysterious Shooting of
the Chauffeur.
CLAIMED SHOOTING WAS
ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE
The Man Who Died Yesterday
Left Affidavit EXOnerat-
ing Wife From Blame.

With tho cloak Of mystery still sur
rounding the shooting, George Harry Aus
tin a chauffeur. who alleged that he shot
himself twice in the back Of the head on
the carly morning of July %. In an at
tempt 10 put an end to his life. died yes
tcrday afternoon at $40 o'clock at st.
Marks hospital as the result Of frac-
tured skull. caused by one OF the puilel
wounds
last night that his office would begin this
morning an investigation OF the shooting
s. VI Barlow. chief OF police. said that he
would lend tho county attorney every as
sistance in the Investigation.
Mr. and Mrs Austin occupied suite
Of rooms In the residence of Otto rhomp-
OF the shooting. on the evening of July
~ they had been at Saltair and upon re-
turning entered into quarrel. accord
ing IN other occupants OF The house. VINO
heard hol words from both the man and
his wife.
At abou, 30 n. m. on July % the police
were notified that man had attempted
10 kill himself AT thr Thompson residence
Following their response Austin waa
taken to the emergency hospital at the
police station. where ne was attended by
Dr. II. Il, Spraguc.
Claimed Accident.
At that time the injured man said he
had shot himself accidentally as he was
winding clock over fireplace In his
bedroom. lie told Dr.. Spfague that al
though there had been two shots, only one
a wound on The back of his head To the
right OF the crown. inflicted by glancing
bullet. Austin said that this was his
only wound lie was removed TO his
home the same evening
DIR. Spraguc. after examining the wound.
said that he had found no powder burns
P fhc pc Position @ = the s; Wound. me that It could
not have been self-inficted.
While at the police station a Tribune
reporter asked Austin the following aues-
ton.
"You could not have shot yourself there.
You could not hold revolver in such
position IS 70 shoot yourself so suuarely
In tho back II the head. Who shot you?"
Austin answered: III anyone shot me
they would have to answer for II, wouldn't
they? Well. then, I shot myself.
viewed, Mrs. Austin said that she was
in bed Al the time OF the shooting and
that as her back was turned to her hus-
band she knew nothing about II. She
after the shots had been fred and that
position was fifteen feet from the clock
which Mr.. Austin said he had been wind
ing at the time OF the alleged accident,
A Second Wound.
The police knew nothing concerning n
second bullet wound in Austin's head un.
III last Friday, when DR., Sprague was
called TO the Galena rooming house
Austin a,, was there IN an unconscious con-
Saturday afternoon Mrs. Austin showed
to CHIEF % Police Barlow an affidavit
signed by her husband testifying that he
had sustained the wounds while attempt
Ing to commit suicide and not by chance.
rs he had originally said, In this affidavit
he eNcneratcd his wife Of all completely
in the shooting.
Chief Barlow says that he knows where
MTs Austin Is and that he can produce
her when occasion requires.
The body of Austin is at the O'Donnell
undertaking establishment No funeral
arrangements have been made