Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-08
SHOOTING BLA|M WE'D
ON REJECTEDLOV
Chemist Had Been Friendly
With Wisconsin Teacher,
Letters Show.
BY the Associated Press.

MADISON, Wis, January S.--Belief
that frenzy. resulting from fruitless
efforts to re-establish friendship with
Miss Lora Palmer, %, University
Of Wisconsin instructor, apparently
caused f. Y. Bernard, 90, to shoot and
seriously wound the woman and take
his own life here yesterday, was ex-
pressed today by Philip La Toilette.
district attorney.
Letters found in Demands clothing,
the district attorney said. caused him
to form this opinion Of the tragedy,
which occurred in the French house.
residence of woman students of
French. of which Miss Palmer was
chaperon.
The contributing factors which
actuated Bernard, former chemist of
Hibbing, Mimi, and student of
French, however, remained in doubt
the prosecutor added.
Relations Broken on.
There are Indications that at one
time very strong friendship existed
between Miss Palmer and Bernard"
he said. From the evidence, there
was a break in their relations and
the shooting apparently was due to
the failure of the mans efforts to re-
establish the former friendship"
However, one theory of investigat-
ing officers is that Bernard had tried
to persuade the girl to marry him
and that the shooting resulted from
her rejection.
Authorities said. in connection with
the theory that the first rebuff came
when Miss Palmer met his 15-year-
ri and eYclainea: 81 never
could be a mother to so old girl"
Among the score of letters found
in Bernard's effects at Hibbing were
several addressed to Sweetheart"
and sometimes signed Laura" Others
bore the signature Laura Palmer"
One letter said: NO, 1 can't marry
at this time, because you are not
earning enough to support me and
two children by a former marriage"
Sent Woman $500
Another missive said: couldn't
marry you after what happened at
Duluth" but gave no indication of
the incident referred to. One letter
dealt with a disagreement over $500
Bernard sent Miss Palmer while she
was in France.
One of the letters was signed by
professor in the romance language
department of the University of Wis
consin, who wrote that Miss Palmer
was ION the verge of a nervous
breakdown" 1t pleaded with Ber-
nard to release her from "her prom
Use to marry"
The district attorney indicated that
no formal inquest would be held.
While Miss Palmer was reported at
the hospital this morning as rest
ing comfortably" 1t was said that her
condition would not permit ques-
tioning today.
Miss Palmer, who received three
bullets from Bernard's pistol, one of
them in the abdomen, reused suf1ci-
entity last night to say ST helped
him; he fell in love; could not make
up my mind to marry him" La Fol-
lette visited her last night, but her con-
dition was so serious, little information
was obtained.
In Demands pocket were found
several letters and a note: Moral:
Never trifie with a mans love-"
Bernard divorced his wife a year
ago, she said last night in Superior,
wis. She said he sought reconcilia-
ton last Sunday, and, failing, said he
would kill himself.
Man Also Teacher.
Miss Palmer became acquainted
with Bernard while she was q teacher
of French in the Hibbing High School.
When she returned to the University
Of Wisconsin, from which she was
graduated, her Hibbing position was
given Bernard upon her recommends
ton. Recently Bernard had sought a
place in the same department with
Miss Palmer at the university, but
was refused because he did not have
a college degree He was educated
in chemistry in Europe. He was
born in Sicily.
The letters found in Hibbing were
mailed from Paris at the time Miss
Palmer was a student there, and more
recently from Madison.