The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-25
Edward Hummer Commits Sui.
eide at the Manspeaker.
QuarreledWith His Fifteen-Year
Old Bride.
IE ASKEDFOR PRAYER
Also Asked Bystanders to Keep
Wife Away.
Told the Physician He Was
Tired of Life.

Jealous of his 15-year-old bride and
respondent because of financial re-
verses, Edward Hummer committed
suicide shortly before s o'clock Friday
evening at the Manspeaker house
Tenth avenue and Harrison street. Inc
Runners had quarreled and as the
husband left the room IN which MS
wife was sitting he drew a revolver
from his pocket, pressed it to his left
breast and fired. He died three hours
later.
Less than three months ago Hum
mer was married to Lille Caskey, OF
1882 North Jackson street. The girl
was but Is years old. Following the
wedding the couple went to Wichita
and remained there several weeks.
Most of their time was spent at
rooming house and Runners bank ac-
count didn't increase as it should. Then
things went wrong domestically. Hum
mer's bride took exception to things
and Hummer is said to have been
jealous of gentlemen friends of the
caused a family uprising.
This week Hummer and his wife de-
cided to come to Topeka and talk
matters over with the elder Caskeys.
When they arrived at 1:30 they went
to the Manspeaker. Here they engag-
ed rooms on the third floor. Hummer
paid weeks room and board rent Tor
the two. Then the couple left the
building and were absent about two
hours When they returned they went
Immediately to their rooms. The next
knowledge Mrs. Anna G. Overholt,
proprietor received of the presence OF
her new rOomers was when she heard
a shot followed a few minutes later by
screams for help from Mrs. Hummer
The woman's screams attracted the
attention of Bliss Hill and Noble Eos
ter, who were passing the house. They
ran in the house and carried Hummer
to his room. Hummer was conscious.
He asked Hill to pray for him. But
Hill replied, 81 don't know how" Mrs.
Hummer wanted to talk to her hus-
band, but he refused to see her. The
dying man pleaded for someone to
pray for him.
Then Mrs. Hummer begged permits
sion to stand at her husbands bed
| side but the husband forbade the two
men to allow her to come near him.
Tears flowed down the girls face and
she wrung her hands and paced the
| floor in the excitement.
ST want to kiss him goodbye, she
| told the men, won't you please let
me kiss him ~
Then DR.. Keith and a nurse arrived.
The two men and the girl bride left
the room
First said 1t Was Accident.
For an hour last nigh. Mrs. Hum
mer declared that her husbands
shooting had been accidental. But be-
| fore he died, Hummer regained con-
seriousness and stated that he was tired
| of living and wanted to end it all.
81 did it," he told DR.. H. H. Keith,
county coroner. 1--WE had a lot OF
trouble and 1 am tired of it ALL"
When confronted with her husband s
| statements Mrs. Hummer said her
husband had been jealous, that some
| times they had misunderstanding and
| to fruther his trouble Hummer had
| suffered several financial reverses. She
| would not admit, however, that her
husband had intended to kill himself.
ED must have been out of his head, .
| the 15-year-old bride declared, land !
| don't think he really intended to do it.
Certainly he didn't know what he was
about
| The report that there was objections
on the part of the Caskeys to the mar
rage of Lille to Hummer was strong
was agreed that the couple were to
marry, the girls parents went with
| Hummer to the Office of the probate
Judge and gave their consent to the
! Issuance of a license. The couple was
married at the Caskey home.
Hummer was a member of the firm
! of Hummer Brothers, nurserymen, OF
| Granville. He was also a nephew of
L. r. Taylor, who owns extensive
! nursery interests in the Granville dis
! trict Somehow Ed Hummer appear
/ ed to be the black sheep of the flock
He paid little attention to the business
+, affairs of the firm and devoted his
! time largely to hunting the easy side
! of life. At times he lost control OF
his temper and it is presumed that it