The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-07
Factors STIR UP
TlNNI.N||DISPUTE
0NSLBIN+RE.CTOR
Mother Of Dead Woman Main
tains Belief Only in
Double Murder.

HAVRE, Mont, Nov. z. = The
tragic shooting that took the lives
Of the Rev. L. ]. Christler, "bishor
OF all outdoors" and Mrs. Mar.
garet Carleton Is far from a closed
case, despite the coroner's verdict
Of murder and suicide. 1t may yet
develop into a deadly parallel OF
the Hail-Mills murder mystery.
Eyeryone-llteraly eyeryone-in
the little town of Havre Is talking
Of the possibility. The town is d.
vided on the case-bitterly, angry
divided. So intense is the feeling,
in fact, that It Is not Impossible
that the case may lead to further
violence, no matter what the out.
come Of the mystery itself.
The controversy has ragged ever
since the night OF October 81,
when Sthe bodies Of the Reverend
Christler and the pretty wife Of a
former superior judge were foun1
by Mrs. Christler in the rectory OF
St Marks Episcopal Church, eacn
killed by pistol shot through the
heart.
staunch defenders Of the Rever.
end Mr.. Christler maintain the co :.
oner's jury was right; that Mrs
Carleton, spurned by the clergyman,
shot him down and then killed her.
self.
Double Murdera
There are others-many others.
who point to the post.mortem exam
ination held over the bodies after
the coroner's inquest. This exarnl.
nation showed the bullet whica
her body on the left side, above
her heart and lodged in the right
eide and below her heart. Experts.
say 1t would be possible, but highly
improbable for such wound to he
self.inflicted-that in virtually all
suicides where the heart is pene~
trated, tho bullet ranges upward
and to the left.
These people contend that 1t was
e double murder-that someone
found the two, killed them botn
and fled after putting the death pis-
tol in the woman's lifeless hand, to
simulate a murder and suicide.
These arc the two theories
Everybody IN town holds one or
the other. AS result, acrimonious
argument is heard on every corner
about this, the most sensational,
murder case in the annals Of Mon
tana. -
In the sixteen years he had serve,l
IN Havre as rector and MS arch.
deacon of Milk River Valley, the
Reverend Mr.. Christler had made
hundreds Of friends. He was re.
sponsible for much good work, ami
not only built up his mission field
to an amazing; extent but was alsy
a vital figure in this sections DO
litical circles, serving in the legis.
lature.
These friends of the "bishop q.
all outdoors" are ready to defend
his memory-even to the point OF
fighting for It.
A "cIosed Incident.r
But there are others tust as
strong in defense OF Mrs. Carleton
Wife of a former. district Judge,
young and charming, she was one
OF the leading figures in Havre's
social life. Men and women who
have been entertained in her home
are unwilling 10 believe that she
could have taken human life.
No hint Of suspicion has been
publicly raised against Mrs. Christ.
Ter, who testified that she heard
the shots and came into the room
to find her husband and Mrs. earle.
ton dead.
Those who declare that a third
person committed the crime avs.
that Mrs. Christler would hide anE
evidence she might have had Z: