The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-09-14
Archie Thomas Shot Himself
Rather Than Arrest
WAS SHOOTING SUSPECT
Supposed To Have Been Man
Who Tried To Wing Harry
HARDER
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
Fairmont, September 6.-Surround-
ed in corn field Wednesday morning
by a posse Of Triumph officers and
safety guard members, Archie Thorn
as, suspect in the shooting affair near
that village Sunday night, fired three
bullets into his own head rather than
submit to capture and arrest.
1t was about eleven o'clock in the
forenoon when Thomas was discov-
cred and shot himself and he died al
2:45 in the afternoon. The bullet
which caused his death entered the
brain above the left temple and took
downward course.
The corn field where Thomas was
surrounded is located about two and
a half miles west of the Schroeder
home where the attempt was made
Sunday night on the life of Harry
Harder of Mankato. u.
Had Hid In cornfieId.
Thomas had evidently been hiding
out in tie corn fields while the search
was bein made for him by the Mar
tin count officers. ....
Near where Thomas was discov-
cred by the posse is the Lyon school
house where Miss Pearl Schroeder
for whose favor Thomas was at riv-
airy with HARDER, had intended to
commence term of school on Mon
day. ... .r
Fearful that Thomas would carry
out the threats made against her life
in letters received from him recently
Miss Schroeder refused to open the
school term until Thomas had been
located. -s
The school house premises had been
visited several times during the last
couple days by persons searching for
Thomas without getting any trace of
him. g. .{.....E ~. a..
Was Seen At Sherburn. ~
Wednesday forenoon a man was
seen going from the school building
to an adjoining corn field and word
was Immediately sent to the officers
at Triumph. A posse composed OF
safety guard members and the Tri-
umph marshal Immediately went to
the school house and commenced a
search of the corn field and school
premises. 81 .:.
Thomas had gone nearly through
the field and coming to place where
the corn was but a couple of feet high
had lain down between the rows.
evidently in hope that the officer would
not consider it worth while to search
there. He was seen lying between the
corn rows by the deputy sheriff from
Triumph. who was but a few feet
from him. .aza.-. -..z. % T.
Used Thirty two caIibre Revolver.
Seeing his chances of escape cut on
by the other members OF the posse
who surrounded him on all sides,
Thomas deliberately raised his re-
volver to his head and fired three
shots in quick succession into his fore
head. The gun was of thirty-two
calibre.
Word was Immediately sent to doc
tors at Sherburn and Welcome who
hurried to the scene Of the suicide
but the young man lived but a short
time after the doctors arrived.
Coroner Brodt of Fairmont was
summoned and the body of Thomas
removed to the residence OF John
Lyon, about a quarter of mile.
Thomas was about twenty-three
years of age and for several years
had been keeping company with Miss
Schroeder, who until recently lived
with her parents near Sherburn. AT
one time it was reported that the
young people were to be married. Tne
Schroeder family moved to the farm
near Triumph this spring and since
that time Miss Schroeder had been
receiving attentions from Harder, VINO
was for several months the Standard
Oil company agent at Triumph.
Second Suicide On Spot.
This is the second suicide near this
spot in recent years. About twelve
years ago John Anderson killed hlm-
self about four rods west Of the place
where Thomas took his life.
Thomas was telegraph operator
and worked for a time last year at
the Milwaukee depot in Fairmont. MT
Horton speaks of him as being Drlgnt
and capable. He later went to Can
ada and this summer returned to Mar
tin county For the past several weeks
he was employed as brakeman on
a way freight on the run from Jackson
to Wells.
He objected to Miss Schroeder re-
ceiving any attentions from HarDer
and, possessed of quick temper, ne
had on several occasions made threats
Recently he sent several letters 10
Miss Schroeder threatening both her
life and that of Harder.