Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-17
MENTALLY
.DERANGED
|SOP|N|()N
BR00DING OVER ILLNESS OF
MOTHER, BELIEVED By
s FRIENDS TO HAVE
CAUSED ACT

John L. PvOrmann, for years the
chief accountant I'm the firm of Castle
4 Cooke, killed his Invalid mother last
night and ended the tragedy by turn
Ing the pistol upon himself. This
V10rning their bodies were found In
Z their little home AT 6S7 Prospect ave.
nue.. Both had been dead for mum.
Der Of hours.
Con Yick and G. Kubotani, servants
who worked for the PFormanns, aiding
in the care of the aged invalid, discov-
cred the tragedy this morning when
they went to prepare breakfast. Their
knocks upon the door being unanswer-
ed, and half-dilining that things were
amiss In the home, the two Orientals
broke into the house through a rear
window and found themselves In the
presence of the dead.
The woman lay, as If asleep. on her
bed, hand coiIed under her pillow,
BY her side stood little invalid table
on which tray of tea things rested
The death-bullet entered her temple.
II seemed clear to the coroneIss Jury
which viewed the scene this morning
that the woman was asleep when the
son carried out his resolve to kill her
and end his own life, and 30 quietly
I, did he slip into the room, aim the PTS
Vol at the temple Of his mother than
he did not disturb her sleep and the
bullet brought her instant DEATH
II was in the next room that the
Young man committed suicide. IL was
his bedroom. HIS body was found
lying on the floor by his bed. cold and
.lifeless, a bullet piercing the brain.
He was clad in nightgown. The bed
was iisorderIy, as If he had rolled and
tossed through the hours Of the night,
as the plan revolved in his mind, be.
fore rising to kill his mother and end
HIS life
There near the foot OF the bed lay
the pistol. Undischarged cartridges
N3ere about 1t. Otherwise the room
Vas in perfect order, clothing neatly
put away, books in their regular place.
Oficers searched through the rooms
for a note from the matricide, but
none was found. Only the evidence OF
the bodies was left to tell the story oil
the tragedy.
News Shocks Many Friends.
Workmen had been about the little
home during the day engaged in max
ing several improvements in the build
ing. They had seen Pyormann and
though he had not been In good health
for some time, an illness from worry
and melancholia affecting him, ne
seemed, 1t is said, in good spirits and
went to his work with quick step.
Those who have worked with him
IN the offices of Castle & Cooke speak
highly in his praise, and the news OF
the tragedy came as great shock 10
them. Many had known him for the
entire time he has been on the islands
twelve years--and though they real
fzed he was enduring nervous trou-
BILE. IL was not believed serious.
He has lived with his mother, since
they came here twelve years ago, IN
their little home, overlooking the sea,
on Prospect avenue. She had never
been well, or strong OF able TO care
for herself, but in their life together
required the constant attention of her
SON. Often, to make her more COM.
Portable. he remained away from the
efice. keeping himself busy looking
&fter his mother He had built a
large glass-covered lanai with a place
for an invalid's chair that the woman
might sit in the sun while he played
for her.
Was Devoted TO Mother.
His whole life, say his friends, was
devoted to the care of his mother.
Her interest was his first thought He
seldom went out, seldom left her
,ssalone in the home of an evening. The
sclose confinement he has undergone
and exacting duties met in caring for
his mother is given as the cause OF
last nights tragedy. That he became
depressed, overcome with melancho-
liza, with death ahead of. him as the
only alluring light. is the statement
made by his friends in searching for
the reason of his act.
The officers of Castle & Cooke de-
ciared his books were in best of shape
and that financial reasons of any kind
could not have had a play in the death.
80 Continued on Page Three