The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-06
BODY Of SUICIDE IS
FOUND At FT.DOUCLAS
Wife Rides Through Parade
Grounds a Few Minutes
Later; Native of Elgin, Ill.
SOLDIER is MENTIONED
Mrs. Groesser Said to Have
Visited Private Roger
Thomas Frequently.
SOLDIER is MENTIONED

Peculiar circumstances surrounding
the suicide of George Groesser, cook
who formerly lived in EIgin, Ill, whose
body was found on the parade grounds
at Fort Douglas yesterday, will be in
vestigated today by Chief of Police
B. F. Grant and Detectives Lyon and
Gillespie
A few minutes before the body was
discovered Mrs. Groesser, wife of the
suicide, and Myrtle McGarvey, a
friend, rode through the fort grounds
on horseback short distance from the
place where Groesser's IS body was found
Investigation also disclosed that Mrs.
Groesser had frequently called up a
private at Fort Douglas and had been
on friendly terms with him.
According to the detectives Private
Roger Thomas is the soldier who was
acquainted with Mrs. Groesser and
whose attentions were objected to by
the suicide.
These circumstances at first led the
police TO believe that Groesser might
have been murdered, but a more thor
ough investigation convinced them
that the man was a suicide. though the
officers are not clear as to the motive.
The body was found at $500 clock
yesterday morning by Captain f. M.
Smith as he marched battalion Of
troops on TO the parade grounds. A
bullet had pierced the mans skull, en-
tering at the right temple and
passing through the head. The
man s right hand clutched tightly
blood spattered .3s calibre pistol.
The body was identified through cor
respondence found in the pockets.
The letters were from Joseph
Groesser, 42l Brook street, Elgin, Ill,
father of the suicide. A single nickel
man, The body had evidently lain on
the field since the night before, Death
undoubtedly had been insta ntaneous
When Mrs. Groesser was notified that
her husband had been found dead she
became hysterical with grief She was
taken into custody and told the police
rambling, hysterical story. She said she
was formerly Miss Pearl Kruse, daugh-
ter Of Fl. j. Kruse OF American Fork.
were estranged- On May 10 last, she
said. she and Groesser were married in
Salt Lake
HWe lived very happily said Mrs.
Groesser until about three DAYS ago,
when we had little quarrel | don t
know what it was about upless it was
because he wanted me to get in earlier
nights. Since then I haven't seen much
of him. The last time I saw him was
Thursday morning when he kissed me
goodby.'
She and Miss McGarvey were cross
examined as to how they came to take
the horseback ride through the Fort
Douglas grounds yesterday morning.
They said they had planned the ride in
order that Miss McGarvey might see
the fort before leaving for her home in
Chicago. The police are convinced that
the trip Of Mrs. Groesser through the
fort grounds past the body of her hus-
band was merely strange coincidence
Mrs. Groesser told the police that she
did not believe that her husband COM
mitted suicide, but in the same breath
insisted that financial troubles and not
domestic difficulties prompted him to
kill himself, By chance remark Mrs,
Groesser admitted that she had tele-
phoned to friend at Fort Douglas yes
terday morning before starting out on
the horseback ride
Groesser had been employed az
cook at the Boston cafe on Main street
just prior to his death Mrs. Groesser
had worked as cashier at restaurants.
They were living at 31S East Second
South street.