The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-08-31
GWILLIM
COMMITS
A DOUBLE
CRIME
Ell PAso COUNTY RANcHMAN
KILLS HousEKEEPER AND
THEN COMMITS SUICIDE.

Thomas Gwillim. aged sixty-three.
a well-known cattleman and rancher
of Ell Paso county, murdered his house
keeper. Mrs. Mary E. Simmons. and
then killed himself while in a drunken
rage at his home. near Falcon, Colo
RADIO, twenty-nine miles east of Colo
RADIO Springs. Thursday morning.
GwilIim was brother of G. r. CIVIL
linn, former resident of this city, and
was also a brother of r. J. Gwillim OF
Colorado Springs. at one time assessor
OF FL Paso county and candidate on
the Democratic ticket for reelection
to that office again this year.
There were no witnesses to the
tragedy and the motive that prompted
it is mystery to the authorities. A
doubIe-barreled shotgun and a 45-70
rifle were found in the house after
the killing and are believed to have
been the weapons used by Gwillim for
the commission of the crime. He is
thought to have first shot the woman
through the heart and then TO have
killed himself with the high-powered
rife.
Mrs Simmons had been employed
by Gwillim as housekeeper for the last
FIVE or six years and had an eighteen
year-old daughter, vava, who lived
with her at the ranch house. The
daughter was sent by Gwillim to Fal-
con a couple OF miles away. on an er-
rand Thursday morning. for the pur-
pose. II is believed. of getting her out
of the way while he carried out his
murderous intent
When the daughter returned home
about IL o'clock she found her moth
er dead on the floor of the kitchen.
Gwillim was on the floor OF the ad-
joining room. apparently. unconscious.
A ranch hand. named Paul Parker.
who was at work in a nearby field,
declares that he did not hear the
shooting or any unusual noise at the
holse. Instead OF calling Parker on
her discovery of the crime the grief
stricken girl hsrnessed horse and
drove Eve miles to a neighbor's for
help.
| When she returned to the Gwiilim
home with assistance. GwiIlim was no
where to be seen. and IL was not until
Coroner Erwin Boyle arrived that he
was located. Despite his terrible
wounds. Gwfilim had managed to
crawl into a small clothes closet.
where he was discovered sitting on
the floor with gallon jug OF corn
whisky in his lap. He evidently had
been dead for more than an hour.
Whisky. it is said. tells the whole
story OF Thursdays tragedy. Accord.
ing to Mrs. Simmons daughter.
GwiIlim had been drinking heavily
for several days and had quarreled
with his housekeeper. but so far as
known had not threatened her life. He
is reported to have been in easy
financial circumstances and the mat.
ter of money could not have had any.
thing to do with the crime.
Gwillim was one OF the early pio.
neers OF eastern Colorado: having
lived in that section of the state for
forty-six years. His wife secured a
divorce from him in 1906 and has
since made her home in Colorado
Springs. He had thirteen children.
nine of whom are living. but none
have resided with their father for
years.
G, r. Gwillim. the Canon City broth.
er of the deceased. who was engaged
in mining matters and oil drilling en-.
terprises here for long period, com
mitted suicide about a year and half
aRo