, 1923-05-17
DOUBLE TRAGEDY SUNDAY;
SHOOTING UNEXPLAINED
DR.. NEVA MOTT KITTELL IS KILLED BY SHOTGUN
In HOME. HUSBAND SUICIDES. YOUNG
BOYS TESTIFY COUPLE were HAPPY

The upper portion of her head
blown away by a shot from a shot
rum. Mrs. Claude F. Kitteli, profess
sionally known as DR.. Neva Mott.
was found dead in the bed room Of
her home at sos West Buffalo
Street last Sunday evening about
ive O'Clock. Her husband with al
most his entire face blown away by
a self inflicted wound. lay dying In
the north asst corner Of the same
room. BY the man was a thirty
thirty rife and leaning up against
the corner was a shotgun. hammer
pulled back-the hrearm by which
DR.. Mott met her death.
A coroner's jury after viewing the
bodies and examining in detail the
scene of the double tragedy were un-
able I o state positively the real
OF Doctor Motifs death-stating In
the finding following the coroner's
inquest held late Monday afternoon
that the wife was killed by a shot
Gun during a scuff1e which took
place in the room or met her death
ii the hands Of her husband.
But one person was in the house
1t the time OF the shooting. Clave
KRtell, the little eight year old son
Of Claude Kittell by a former wife.
The small boy was in an adjoining
room At the time. however. and his
testimony. AS given at the inquest
Monday. threw no light on the mys-
terry which stili surrounds the tragic
affair. The mystery was further
ctouded by the fact that there was
found. high up on the right temple
OF tho man. a rifle bullet or shot
gun wound. The wound was not
deep but left a we'll defined grove
IN its course Across Ktttell's tenn
pie.
Evidence OF = quarrel just prior
TO tho shooting was given in the tes-
tlmony OF Clave Kittell. who. in re-
ply to the questions Of the coroner
DR.. c. W. Jeffrey. said that his moth'
Or seemed angry about something.
altho he did not eem to have .
clear idea A. to the reason for her
anger. He testified however. that
Mr.. and Mrs. Kfttell. another boy by
the name of Robert Fowler and him
self were ON . Gshing trip the day
Of the shooting; that his father and
mother were In good spirits and that
between the two. They returned from
the trip shout $3.50 Of I O'Clock that
Afternoon and went directly into the
hose. He (Clswe) was out OF the
hose but . short time. quitting the
camplng equipment away and while
he was gathering wood for the kit
chen stove. He was In the kitchen
u he same time ~ his mother and
father and altho he knew that his
mother was dissatisfied with some
thing his father had done. did not
pay much attention ~ he was At the
time reading q paper. The two went
into the bed Dom and soon otter
ward he heard several shots-friEht-
ened. he started for the entrance in
to the room and then changed his
mind and ran out OF the house. Az
ter he was outside he said that he
heard more shooting.
A. the gentle questioning Of the
lktle orphan last Monday evening by
Coroasr Jeffrey the story was. In
It's more important details. A. fol-
lows:
Q. Did you 20 out fshinG yester-
dxy VIA Mamma and Papaf A. Yes.
q. We're you In the house whom
any tr3uble Occurred-when they
were shoorns' A. Yes. but I wasn't
IL the room. They were In tho bed
room and was In tho kitchen.
Q. Did you hear them quarrel?
A. They were happy.
Q. Did you hear Papa say not to
cone Into the house? A. No.
Q. DO you know why they would
grt out.Ahe guns and do any shoot
ingf 4. think Dad said some
thine TO mother to mako hcr mad
but I never heard Il.
9. That . new car you went out
In y Il noti A. Yes. Il was the now
car axed after the accident.
Q. DID they have any ~discussionf
A. No. They were happy Just ~
Q. Dad Mamma jerk you ou, Of
de = yseterdayf A. Yes. but she
~ 3ust playing. She bit my head
o01loet che ear door but she never
mean 70.
Q. DID Papa tell you that they
wese oolag 20 DO any ahootingi A.
q. yss doa'. know who might
navs Decked ~ the gunsi You were
- - tbe bed roomf A. was
nos u ~ ~ soon. I was out read.
- eAe papss. stastsd . 90 IA
eacso anl tAsa eaae oat,ia Tie yard.
Ds1 sAsy. tell yoa 70 80 ostf
=. Ne. 0ovoe eaW then AFTER thoy
Weoe lnte The ~ room. Moehee
W.T. % oo0 tAoo 0oA eol1oWo1.
g ns1 you tel over q Allleea's
-! 49, eoe1 ~ y - eelf 4. ~.
en1nh l1oeAeP ~ = nAl - -
49, 80 tAea - vsot iah III
Q ~ ~ AsAsaAs, \. Ne.