Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-29
Ruth Ayers
Sweetheart
Kills Self
Francis Alexander, Lover of
Hayes Center Girl Who Died
From Illegal Operation,
Shot Accidentally.
Suicide Was First Report

Hayes Center, Neb., Dec. 2S.-
Especial Telegram. )-Francis w.
Alexander OF Hayes Center, sweet
heart Of Ruth Aver, 10. who died n
August from an illegal operatin in
Omaha, was shot with .22 caliber
rife Monday morning at 9, dying an
hour later.
Walter Counce, son of Alexander
brother-in-law, at whose home, the
shooting occurred, and who wit-
messed the shooting, said Alexander
had planned to go on hunting
trip and was opening the barn door,
carrying the loaded rife in his hand,
when the gun was accidentally dis
charged.
Alexander fell to the ground, un-
conscious, and was carried into the
house. A doctor who was sum-
Inoned stated after an examination
that the bullet had penetrated the
youths abdomen.
He died at 10, an hour after the
shooting. without regaining con-
sciousness.
Suicide Theory Denied. n
Frist reports o. the affair stated
that the boy had ended his own
life as q consequence of grieving
over the death of his sweetheart. He
had declared more than once that he
would rather be dead than hear about
the story of the girls death any
more.
The suicide theory, however, is
emphatically denied by members Of
his family.
No inquest was held. the coroner
who investigated the affair apparent
ly being satisfied that death was ac-
sidental.
Funeral services were held at
Hayes Center today.
Young Alexander came to Omaha
in August in answer to a letter
written by Ruth Aver just before
her death. He was arrested upon
his arrival and charged with being
an accessory after the fact of her
death, alleged to have resulted from
an illegal operation.
Stunned by News.
He was stunned by the news of
his sweetheart's death, and when
J .nown her body at the inquest,
stepped back as if struck in the face.
crying:
my, God! Yes" in answer TO
County Attorney Shotwelps ques-
ton:
as thar Ruslr .hyerf9ss
* The youth at once told the au-
'Ghorities of his relationship with the
girl and how, after he had learned of
her condition, had begged her to
marry him.
The girl, he declared, refused to
marry because she wanted to learn
nursing and wanted him to continue
collegiate studies, and insisted or
having an operation.
He then gave her all the money
he could raise, he said, and let her
come to Omaha the night of Au-
gust 2.
Trio Arrested.
The next time he saw his sweet
heart. she lay, cold and dead on a
slab in the Omaha morgue.
Immediately after the girls death,
DR.. L. S. Fields; Mrs. Minnie Deyo,
practical nurse, at whose home the
girl is said to have died. and young
Alexander were arrested.
The doctor was convicted of man
slaughter two weeks ago, and young
Alexander was the principal! witness
for the state at his trial. During his
testimony on the witness stand the
young man could hardly contain
himself and spoke in such faint whis-
pers the judge ordered him to
speak up.
Kisses Letter.
While attorneys for the state and
defense wrangled over the admission
of the girls last letter to her lover
into evidence at the trial the youth
raised the letter reverently to his lips
and kissed it. as his eyes filled with
tears. r
Dr.. Fields admitted treating the
girl. but denied performing the op-
Grafton. He said he merely tried to
save her life after someone else had
performed the operation.
Nurse Deyo refused to testify.
"a motion for a new trial for DR..
Fields was to have been heard yes
terday afternoon in Judge Goss'
division of the district court.
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