The Delta independent., 1921-04-29
DELTA GIRL PRINCIPAL
IN TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

h Mrs. Pearl Keeney who is known
here as Pearl Linkletter, was shot
and killed by her husband Monday
morning at the home of her mother.
Mrs. c. B. Wells, in Denver. Imme-
diately after firing the shot which
killed his wife, the husband, James
Thomas Keeney, committed suicide.
The tragedy resulted from Keeney's
failure to persuade his wife to aban-
don a divorce suit pending against
him.
Mrs. Ida Linkletter Anderson, and
Mrs. Katie Linkletter Newton, are
sisters of the deceased woman. and
went to Denver Tuesday morning on
receiving word of the unfortunate af.
fair. H S. Anderson, brother-in-law
of Mrs. Keeney, gives US the follow
ing report of the courtship and mar
riage of Mr.. and Mrs. Keeney:
Five years ago, I left here to go
to Ortiz, New Mexico, where we had
a school house and residence to build.
There were no accommodation for
the carpenters. I took my wife along
and we boarded the men. Along about
the first of June my wife took sick
and the doctor said she would have
to have an operation so I took her
to Alamosa to hospital to be oper-
ated on. I was left strapped for a
housekeeper and cook. We had no
neighbors but Mexicans. so l sent for
my sister-in-law. and asked her to
come and do the work while my wife
was sick. She came, and on her way
from Denver to Alamosa, she was
brought into conversation with
Keeney, and being very charming. he
wanted to know where she was 60
ing. She told him she was going to
Ortiz to help us out. He said. "Well,
am going through there and I know
Herb Anderson and his wife we'll and
will be going right by their home
have a car in Alamosa that I left to
be fixed. and II you wish you can get
in and ride with me as you have to
take stage from Antonito. 1t will
be nice trip"
Pearl road with him to my place
and they arrived just as I got to the
house to start supper. was much
| surprised to see Pearl with him and
thought she must have come from
Antonito with him. but she told nae all
about the trip from Denver to Ala
mosa, and from there to my home. /
| told her that he was smooth mouthed
and not to let him make her believe
too mnch. He never was around there
during our stay, but he sent her pre-
sents. Along toward the last of the
job my wife was fairly strong again.
and there was only three or four of us
there so Pearl wanted to go home.
l went to Antonito and bought her
ticket and she left for Denver Keeney
went back to Denver and took the
advantage and started to win him
wife. As he could handle the talk
pretty well she fell for it and ina
gined money was all of it. They were
married in Denver on Christmas Eve.
1918, and left for Antonito. From then
on she saw her mistake"
Mrs. keeney is a daughter of the
late A. E. Linkletter. who was en-
gagged in the furniture business ,ere
for a number of years and Mrs. NJ.
ia and attended school here until
1916 when she went to Denver to
make her home with her mother At
the age of is years, she was married
to Mr.. Keeney. wealthy Antonito resi-.
dent and deputy sheriff, who was 2S
years her senior. According to reports
their matrimonial career was a stormy
one. and several months ago, Mrs.
keeney left her husband and retur.
ned to her mother in Denver. stop
ping enroute for short stay here
with her sisters, Mrs. Newton and
Mrs. Anderson.
1t is reported that Mrs. Wells, who
witnessed the murder of her daush.
ter and the suicide which followed.
is in very critical, nervous state
from the shock. Beside the mother
and sisters. there are two brothers,
George, 2S years old. who lives in
Denver, and Archie, Is. student in
navy training school in California.
According to word received here yes.
terday the remains will be brought
to Delta for burial Sunday