Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-06
Paul F. VOIland, Who Resided
Here 20 Years Ago, Slain In
Chicago by a Widow.
WIPE WAS BORN IN THIS CITY
Victim of Tragedy Was Married to
Miss Laura Gordon, Wbe Di.
Varced Him Year Ago.
nv Associated Press. J

death because she believed ne
had swnidIed her out OF royal
ties, was held to the grand jury
today on a charge OF murder.
Pau Frederick VOlIand, pub
Usher, who was slain in loop
building In Chicago yesterday,
formerly lived in Rock Island.
He resided here 20 years
ago. and married Miss Laura
Gordon. daughter of the late
DR.. Byron Gordon, who resid-
ed at Fifth avenue and Forty
second street. She, a sister Of
Mrs. Ben +. White, 719 Twen-
ty-third street, secured q d.
YOrce from him about a year
ago.
While in Rock Island. Mr..
VOIlaHd conducted a diamond
brokerage business.
Chicago. ILL.,, May 6.-As coolly
and calmly as If she were passing
the time of day with a dear friend
Mrs. Vera Trepagnier. so, of New
Orleans, shot and killed Paul Fred
erick Vollard, wealthy president OF
the P. F. Volland company, art
=. publishers, in his offices in the
Sarland building yesterday.
Then she stepped to the window
and watched the crowds passing
below until a policeman arrived.
Look out for that; it's loaded,
she remarked quietly as she hand
ed the officer the revolver with
which she had fired the fatal shot
Yes, l killed him." she said in
easy, conversational tone. Il had
to do it."
But her mind was working calm
ly and quickly and by the time de
tectives were ready to question
her she had an alibi prepared.
Il didn't go to his Office to kill
him" she said. 81 only wanted to
scare him. l drew the revolver
and he tried to take it away from
me. My finger was on the trigger.
His hand closed over mice, press
ed my finger and exploded the
weapon. He really shot himself. ="
The cause of the shooting. it is
said, was an agreement entered
into by VOlland some time ago to
publish a reproduction of minia
ture of George Washington
brought to him by Mrs. Trepag-
nier.
Mrs. TrepagEier claims that Vol
land contracted to give her 5000
for her royalty rights in the trans
action. but that she never was able
to get any money out of MIN. Sew
eral times she visited uis Offices,
she asserts, but each time either
failed to see him or was told to
see his attorneys.
Asks Him for Money.
yesterday she went to his Offices
at the noon hour. Miss Rose Lam
des. $500 Prairie avenue. and T. r.
des. $500 Prairie avenue, and Miss
T. R. Isabelle, 753 w. Forty-seventh
pany, were in the outer rooms
They saw Volland meet Mrs. Ire
pagnier and saw him escort the
elderly. neatly dressed woman to-
ward his own office.
You've got 10 give me the mon
ey," they heard Mrs. Trepagnier
say.
"See my attorney" MI vollanJ
answered as they entered his o.
fee.
They heard Mrs. Trepagnier's
voice rise higher and Vo!land an
swering quietly.
You owe me $4,000 an6 I mean
to have what is mine" were the
last words that reached their ears
Then came one shot.
>Miss Isabelle ran to Mr.. Vol
lands Office while Miss Landes
rushed for a policeman. When tbs
latter returned with patrolman
Patrick Durkin of the Central sta
ton, Mrs. Trepagnier was stand
ing near the window as cool as if
nothing had happened.
Dies in Five Minutes.
The one shot had pierced Vol
lands body near the heart and he
died in five minutes. Mrs Trepag-
nier was taken to the Central sta
ton and questioned.
II entered into an agreement
with Mr.. Vollsnd some time ago
concerning the miniature o.
George Washington, which was
given to me many years ago by a
friend of my family" she said. II
touched it up before l brought it
TO him and he agreed 10 finish it.
He gave me a contract calling
FOR $1,000 and a certain percentage
Of the purchase price of each copy
which was to sell at ST. l never
received a cent and when l sent
The contract back to Mr.. Volland
10 have him insert a clause pro-
EidiEg that my interest in the pic
.ure should revert to my grandson,
not only did he insert the clause,
out kept the contract
Since then | have been able to
get no satisfaction from him L
reached the end of my string finan-
cially a few days ago and was des-
perate. l made up my mind to
# scare him into settling with me. 1
# didn't go there to kill him. AMI
iidn't want to kill him"
Mrs. Trepagniers home. she
~sGgs, is in New Orleans, on De
Soto street, opposite the Crescent
city hall and county building. She
refused to give the names of any
relatives or friends.
Il have one relative. a grand
A son. and no friends" she said. She
was taken to the Hudson avenue
detention home and locked up in
communicate.
After the shooting a statement
was issued from the Offices of Mr..
2 Volland's company setting forth
he company's side OF the cOntro- |
Tersy which led to the shooting.
Two years ago Mrs. Trepagnier !
made arrangements with the P. z.