Evening star., 1928-12-14
SLAYER Of OH|OAN
DIES BY OWN HAND
Kills Self With Gun While on
Way to Give Up-Con-
fesSed to Husband.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CANTON. Ohio. December l4.-Mrs.
Margaret Heldman, 81, Of Loraln, ONO,
last night fired a bullet into her heart.
A week ago she called Vernard E. Fearn.
35-vear-old coal dealer. to the door OF
his home and shot him to death in the
presence of his wife and child.
The young woman's husband, w 0.
Heldman furnace salesman, was en-
route with her from their home at
Iorain to the office of Sheriff Edward
Gibson here when she took her lie.
She had confessed everything 10 her
husband and had agreed to surrender
herself
Chance revealed her Illicit acquaint-
anceship with Fearn during the last
few months. Heldman picked from q
waste basket in their home yesterday a
crumpled suicide note she had written
several days ago and then discarded
Confronted with its contents, she ad-
rlitted she was the comely young woman
slayer for whom a wide search was
being made.
Saws Fearn Pursued Her.
"Put on your hat and coat, Heldman
yelled at her.
They got in their car and starred for
Canton, where they lived until they
moved to Lorraine on october y. ON
the long trip Mrs. Heldman told her
husband Fearn had pursued her and
made her life a hell on earth.
She said that she had resolved to re-
venge herself at any cost. On the nigh5
of December z, four days before the
sIaving. she went 10 Canton to visit a
sister and there awaited her chance.
The moment came. size told Heloman,
when she found Fearn at home. She
called him to the door and emptied the
contents of'a .38-caliber automatic into
his body. Then she hurried to the
nearest corner, caught bus into the
city, transferred TO an interurban car
and went to Akron where she remained
overnight. The next day she returned
to Lorain.
Repeats Her Story.
Mrs Heldman, pretty dark-h1lred
ribbon clerk who had been out OF high
school Just a little more than two years,
repeated the story over and over again
while her husband hurried on to Canton
to surrender her TO Sheriff Gibson.
Then as they neared the northern
limits Of the city. apparently from The
same black bag that she carried 10 the
Fearn home she drew an automatic and
fired one shot into her body. 1t was
the same gun that had taken the life cf
the coal operator.
Heldman raced for the sherifT's office
and found Gibson in. The wounded
girl was taken immediately to Mercy
Hospital, but she was dead upon ar
rival Heldman returned TO the sher-
IFS Office and he made complete
statement of all his wife had told him.
Planned to Question Her.
Mrs. Heldman's death probably avert
ed an arrest. for Sheriff Gibson later
revealed that he had learned of her re-
lations with Fearn and had planned to
60 to Lorain to question her Mrs.
Heldman was graduated from high
school at Dubois, Pa. and last year she
came to Canton. She was working n
a department store here when her hus-
band met her.
Their married life was serene until
March of this year, when they had
their first serious quarrel, Heldman said.
They separated at that time, but Were
reconciled a few weeks later. In July
son was born to them When they
again separated the child was awarded
to the children's bureau here and is
still in the custody OF that agency