The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-21
Mrs. R. A. Cottle, 1907 Tyler,
Demented Over Divorce Case.
"Oh, Mamma, Don't Do That!''
Then Shot Was Heard.
DRESSED IN new KIGHTGOWNS
Left Note Telling Officers
Whom To Notify Here.
Husband Was Short Funds to
Insurance Firm.

A revolver shot rang thru the flat
at 1907 Tyler street at 1 O'Clock this
morning. 1t awakened the daughter
of Mrs. Nellie Terrell, who rooms
above the flat occupied by Mrs. Ray
mond A. Cott1e. She heard Joyce.
the 11-year-old daughter, say:
"Oh, mamma, don't do that"
Two more shots rang out in rapid
succession, awakening Mrs. George
Moeser and several roomers and the
family of J.. D. Bradfie1d, tenants of
the apartment house. The police. cor
oner and sheriff were summoned.
Mrs. Cottle had placed revolver
next to the heart of her daughter
and pulled the trigger. The child after
pleading with the mother. turned over
in bed and died almost instantly. she
then pointed the revolver at her own
heart and pulled the trigger twice
The revolver. a 25-caliber affair, was
new and was found on chair opposite
the bed.
Mrs. Cottle had sued herhusband for
separate maintenance two weeks ago.
Debts had piled galore on his head as
well as on Mrs. Cottle before and az
terwards, investigation by the ON
GERS revealed. Cottle travels for the
| Bank Savings Life Insurance Co. with
| Headquarters on the third floor OF the
Mulvane building He was on the road
at the time but was located at Paoia
| and is now on his way to topeka.
To the insurance company alone ne
owed several hundreds of dollars. his
answer to his wife's separate main
tenance suits reveals.
She Collected Alimony.
Mrs. Cott1e called at the office OF
Mrs Mary Chaplin. clerk OF the ois
| trict court Monday afternoon ana col
| Iected $50 temporary a1imony await.
calm and unworried at the time.
/ is presumed she purchased the re-
yolver with her alimony money.
Mrs. Terrell and her daughter notet
! Ers. Cottie's depression last night ant
| eudeayored to persuade her to go tt
the park with them She refused, ant
instead calmly made arrangement:
for the murder of her daughter ant
the taking of her own life
Mrs. Cottle disrobed and put on e
fresh, new nightgown- The oausntei
also was garbed in new nightgown
Paper dolls and Peter Rabbit
hook with which she was playing JUS
before going to bed were found on the
floor.
Mrs. Cottle unlocked the front dool
of their apartment She wrote tWt
short notes and placed them in thu
hall. The notes follow:
/ Notify Mrs. ]. A. Blair, BLU
I Mound, ILL.,"
| Please call a coroner and an under
I taker- MRS. COTTLE.'
Letter From Father.
4 A letter from Cottle written few
days ago from a hotel at Usage Cit!
/ was found on a table. Its content
follow:
), Dear Joyce and Mamma:
Il Da Da came to Usage City this
afternoon and am o. K. 1 hope my
pair are, too. Da Da does sure feel
bad, he hoped he could get mamma
to let him come back. 1 thought l
couldn't stand it. not coming out to
dinner today. Be a good girl and
Da Da will see you the last of the
week Tell mamma Da Da wishes
she would write to him. That would
be some comfort Love and kisses
to you and mamma DA DA.
Charges Against Husband.
Mrs Cottle in her separate main
tenance petition charged that her hus
band had refused to pay her hospita
CONTINUED on Page Two.)