Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-28
MURDER-SU|C|DE
DUE TO INSANITY
Inquest Unlikely In Death, :.
Montana Rector and VII.
Of Ex.Judss
SEEKING TANGIBLE cline
Nv Associated prrss

NV AoooCtOte6 FTeaS
liavre. Mont, Oct. 2s.-Th. D.
Leonard Jacob Christler, rector ~ t'Ss' ~
Marks Church Of the 1ncnrnntion ~. -.
and widely known as the "Bish.,s ss y
Al Outdo0rs.' and Mrs. Morsus,,S! y
Carleton, wife Of a former Morssu@s
district Judge. who were killed a.na ye"t.s
Iay IN the clergyman's home wfthis
few feet OF the room where they int ~
left Mrs. Christler, were the v,ctin.o Tr o.e J,
temporary insanity on the part ~ No o.
Carleton. In the opinion Of local om
SO sure are the officials Tim. -.
deaths represent murder and n,,oiss
that Coroner John Holland and SS'',Se aSe
Sherif's y office last night announces ~ ny
inquest. would be held unless reist,,"sOo t "O
Of the dead insisted. ''""'ss
The theory Of the officers reo.,,..
confirmation from DR.. ID. 3. MscKssa
zie, who said that when he orrivsa =.
the .Christler home, the pistol s,ss ~
which the two had been shot stiII ""a wsa
grasped In Mrs. Carleton's hand .,;,s ,s
her finger on the trigger. "''a
In an unsuccessful effort 70 estsh,,.,
motive for the shooting, officers W. ~.
terday partly reconstructed n nnrs..
Of mutilated letters found in n % rcSs
Mrs: Carleton had occupicd in a iS% isSai
hotel. They declared, however. H. tS..
they could find no mention OF ths 49,
clergyman in these letters, which c.Ms rs
from Mrs. Carleton's mother. dsn.S.
ter and husband, former Judge Frsri
Carleton, from whom she was ..,s.
rated. One of the letters from the ~.
band, oficers said. mentioned that 4.
was sending her a sum Of money. w. "
Mrs, Christler, describing the sho...
ing, said that Mrs. Carleton csms !.
the Christler home late Thursday MA, Y
and remained until early FRIDAY mo;r1
ing, talking to Mr.. and Mrs. Christisr
when she started to leave the ciersy.
man accompanied her toward tho On.
trance, the widow said, and just hsd
shut n door between small hail ssS nS
the room where Mrs. Christler was lsf,
when two shots rang out. Mrs. Christ'
ler, opened the door and found N,
bodies, that Of Mrs. Carleton bein,
across the minister's body. ''
All Of the principals in the trasedy
were prominent, both in Montana Snd
elsewhere. Mr.. Christler. who m,
forty six years old. has held charges IN
New York and New Jersey. lie came
~ montana In 1DO7 as missionary AZ
tho Milk River Valley and had devel.
oped his field into one Of the larsest
mission territories in the United States.
Mrs. Christler Is the daughter Of
the late David Wadsworth. Auburn
y. Y. manufacturer. and Ia a niece Of
United State Senator Wadswortb. oi
New York. The Christlers were mar.
red in 1914. when the Clergyman VA,
lectnring in the East.
Mrs. Cartoons husband was on Al
automobile trip IN California when tbs
shooting occurred and. up to late las,
night, haG not been reached to be In.
formed Of the affair. Mrs. Carleton
was the daughter Of Don Davenport.
formerly Of Helena. Mont, but now
of the Imperial Valley. Calf. She il
survived by n daughter by n previous
marriage. She Lad returned to Havrp
only recently after having spent the
summer In the East in Chautauqua
work.
Mrs. Christlcr announced Mr.. Christ
lcr would be buried In his former HON,
in Cayuga County, New York. Funeral
arrangements for Mrs. Carleton await
instructions from relatives.