The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-11-10

Rev. Leonard j. ChristIer, "bish-
op of all outdoors" outstanding
man of his cloth in the northIand,
was killed at his home in Havre,
one night recently. When Mrs.
Christler, in an adjoining room,
heard the report of the gun, she
rushed into the room. Her hus-
band was lying dead on the floor.
Over his body stood Mrs. Margaret
Carleton, who had confessed her
infatuation for the dead minister to
her husband, Judge Frank Garlic
ton, some time before, with a re-
vOlver in her hand. She pointed
the revolver at Mrs. Christler, held
it there for second, then turning
the gun on herself, shot herself
through the heart.
That is the official version, as
crystalized in the verdict of the coro-
ner's jury, which held that Mrs.
Carleton, while temporarily derang-
ed, shot the pastor dead and then
killed herself.
The only eye witness of part of
the tragedy was Mrs. Christler, wife
of the pastor. She testified that she
had accompanied her husband home
from the Havre depot about one
o'clock in the morning Mrs. Garlic
ton came into the room. The details
of the conversation between the three
were not made public at the official
inquiry, except that Mrs. Carleton
told her that she (Mrs. Christler)
had no place in the minister's life.
Mrs. Christler's Story
Christler went into an adjoining
room. Mrs. Carleton followed him.
Instantly there was the report of a
pistol. Mrs. Christler entered the
room to find her husband on the
floor, with Mrs. Carleton standing
over him with the smoking revolver
in her hand. She pointed the reyol-
yer at Mrs. Christler, then put its
against her own breast, and
sent bullet crashing through her
heart. Between the flights of the
two souls 20 seconds could not have
elapsed.
That is the story that Mrs. Christ
Ter told the coroner's jury at the in
quest. The jurors believed her.
Luz WI JOoCpA yl6 VI ullc,
mother of Mrs. Carleton, has taken
issue with the coroner's jury. She
went to Havre, engaged lawyers, and
started an independent investigation.
At the inquest, DR.. Foss of Havre
testified that the bullet which killed
Mrs. Carleton had an upward ten
1ency. Two physicians who examin-
ed the body for Mrs. Pyle assert that
The bullet which caused Mrs. Garlic
TONS death ranged downward at a
sharp angle.
Armed with this information, Mrs.
Pyle's attorneys have asked that the
case be reopened, and the authorities
Of Hill county have the suggestion
under advisement.
OF Prominent Family
Mrs. Carleton came of an old Mon
lana family. Her grandfather, Major
Davenport, came to the state in pion-
Der days, and was for many years a
of Helena. Her father is
Don Davenport, also a resident of
Helena. She attended school in Hell
ena, and was beautiful and cultured
She married Frank Garlic
SS~, ACt hhOA JQo6O VI lu6 JuQlCldi us
-rict in which Havre is situated. She
had become estranged from her hus-
band, and for the past year had been
in Chautauqua work, and |
was in Havre on visit In the mean |
Time her husband had gone to Los |
Angeles and opened a law office.
The Rev. Christler was a very re-
man. He was tall, of COM
presence, and possessed |
ooise. He was an eloquent speaker
and a most magnetic man. He was
unconventional and most human. He
lad a large circle of friends and adj
nirers outside the church, and few
churchmen stood as high in the es-
,eem OF the general public as did he.
he accepted the rough life of the
oorder country as matter of course.
In every movement that was for the
veal of his section nf tho oorrnfry HI |