The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-08-13
HOWARD GILLETTE
COMMITS SUICIDE
AS WIFE PLEADS

phone booth. He communicated with
his wife and told her that he had de-
cidcd to kill himself. She pleaded with
him, but her admOnitions were to no
avail, and after saying that she would
never see him alive again, he hung up
the telephone.
Gillette entered the automobile again
and requested Warmack to run rapid
ly, to the big ditch, because he feared
he was going to be late.
! Mrs. Gillette, almost frantic by the
message from her husband, hurried to
the home of George Patton, which is
lust across the street from the Gillette
home. She impaired the news to Mr..
Patton and requested that he drive
her toward the drainage district in an
effort to Ovcrtake Mr.. Gillette before
he could carry out his threat.
Mr.. Patton consented, and a moment
later they were in the machine and
the record run was begun. Before they
reached Haarig Mr.. Patton punctured
4 tire and had to abandon the trip.
He took Mrs. Gillette to the Haynes
garage, where another machine was
obtained, but not until after Mrs. Gil
lette had notified Mr., Loughlin that it
was an emergency trip and that she
was willing to pay any price for the
service.
In pouring rain they were wnisked
away down the Rock Levee road.
When within two miles of the big
drainage ditch, the Haynes car over
took Warmack and Gillette. Loughlin
stopped his machine AMI Mrs. Gillette
climbed out and entered the machine
with her husband. Because of the mar
now roadway, Loughlin was compelled
to accompany the party to the ditch il
order to find sufficient space to turn
his machine.
Warmack said he could hear Mr.. and
Mrs. Gillette talking in an excited
tone, but believing that it was merely
a domestic misunderstanding he did
not attempt to listen to the cOnversa-
tion. When they reached their desti-
nation, he climbed out of the car and
walked away in order not to be sus-
pected of cavesdropping.
After a short time Loughlin asked
whether Mrs. Gillette would return TO
the city in his machine and Warmack
volunteered to ask Mrs Gillette. She
said she would not, and requested
LOughlin not to wait.
One Of the drcdge men finally step
ped out to the car and asked if Gil
Iette intended to take his machine for
the night. He said he would, but Mrs.
Gillette informed the inquisitor that
her husband would not and asked that
a substitute be employed
Warmack then requested Gillette
and his wife, who had left the car, to
rc-enter it and they would return to
the city. Mrs. Gillette complied and
asked her husband to climb in beside
her. An instant later a shot was fired
and Mrs. Gillette screamed. Gillette
laughingly said he had only attempted
to brighten his wife. He then prom !
% o,rfn11,nhI1n
Warmack flashed his battery light |
in order to adjust the crank on his /
machine. "Cut out that light" order
ed Gillette and almost simultaneously /.
came another report from Gillette's re-
volver. Gillette collapsed dying in
stantIy. As he dropped one of his |
hands struck Warmack.
Mrs. Gillette leaped out of the ma
chine, but before she could reach her
husbands body, Warmach seized her
and led her away.
Mrs. Sam Calhoun and Mrs. Anna .
BOchaver, wives of two drainagemen |
and who live in tents on the ground, !
rushed to the scene, when they heard .
the screams of Mrs. Gillette. At War
mack's request they took her to their
homes and tried to console her
After notifying Coroner SchOen of
the suicide, Warmack induced Mrs.
Mrs. Gillette to return to the city.
Upon their arrival, Warmack notified
the Brinkopf Undertaking establish
ment, which, with permission from the
coroner, brought the body to this city,
where an inquest will be held this
- William H. Bohnsack Jr., and