Prescott -- About 2 o'clock yesterday morning County and City
Surveyor Park L. Latimer was shot and killed by his wife,
who, after lying down on the floor beside the lifeless body
of her husband, sent a bullet crashing through her own heart.
Attired in their night robes, the bodies were found on the
bedroom floor, the wife's head resting on the husband's
outstretched arm.
The bodies were not discovered until 11:30 this morning by
H.C. Shotwell, the partner of Latimer, who, after failing to
get any response to his repeated telephone calls, went to
the house of the Latimers in East Prescott, and finding the
door locked, broke in and made the gruesome discovery.
It is claimed that jealousy prompted Mrs. Latimer to take the
life of her husband. The Latimers were well thought of here
and their tragic death has cast a gloom over the city.
Latimer was a partner of J.B. Girand until the latter was
appointed territorial engineer.
Another dispatch to the Republican last night stated that Mrs.
Latimer fired five shots before she killed her husband. The
indications were that she fired the first shot while he was
asleep but missed and the bullet went through the pillow. He
must have sprung from the bed and tried to grapple with her
while she fired three other shots, the marks of which were
found on the walls. The fifth was fatal.
The woman had evidently not determined how she would die for
poison and a knife were found in the room. She then reloaded
the pistol and placed the muzzle of the pistol at her breast
and fired.
The man in Phoenix most astounded at the news yesterday
afternoon was Frank R. Stewart, who had been talking with
Latimer at Prescott the afternoon before. Shortly before
that Mr. Stewart had driven his wife to the home of the
Latimers to make a call, but learned that Mrs. Latimer was
attending a meeting of the Monday Club.
As intimately as he was acquainted with the Latimers, who
formerly lived for a long time on the opposite side of the
street, Mr. Stewart said he had never heard of the jealousy
of Mrs. Latimer. Their married life was apparently most
happy and he knew that Mr. Latimer was a devoted husband.
Mrs. Latimer, he said, had certainly no cause for jealousy.
Her husband had no bad habits; he had spent all of his time
at home when he was not engaged in official or professional
duties and was in all ways a model husband.
G.M. LAWRENCE
July 20, 1909
King Carbolic, greatest of all suicidal agents, claimed his
second victim within a month when G.M. Lawrence, proprietor
of the shooting gallery at 17 South First Avenue, was found
alone and dead in his room in the Phoenix Hotel yesterday
evening about supper time.
Lawrence's room was shrouded in semi-darkness and after
calling to him several times the door of his room was forced
open and his lifeless body found upon the bed, with face
towards the wall. The discoverer at first thought his death
a natural one and such a report was spread broadcast, until
upon the arrival of the coroner it was suspected to be a
case of suicide by the common route, carbolic.
The room was in perfect order, nothing showing a sudden
insane impulse. Everything pointed to a premeditated,
planned out act, an act thought over and over again.
For four years since the arrival of Mr. Lawrence in Phoenix
from Virginia he has been troubled with complicated ailments,
claimed to have had a seat in the stomach and kidneys, these
ailments becoming intensified of late. On several occasions
recently Lawrence has complained, saying that he would be
found dead some day, but being said in a half joking manner.
He was of a peculiar disposition, hard to understand, an
enigma in conversation as to whether he was in earnest or
sarcastic, a man of few words.
An autopsy last evening found the liver and kidneys in good
condition. However, a slight cancerous growth had started in
the stomach. Otherwise the body was in exceptionally
healthy condition.
Mr. Lawrence came to Phoenix from a small hamlet in southern
Virginia over four years ago, alone. He was of good habits,
a friend of everyone. He owned considerable property both
in the city and without and will leave his mother, who was
wired back in Virginia last evening, a neat little fortune.
Lawrence Funeral
July 28, 1909
Lee N. Lawrence, brother of G.M. Lawrence, who committed
suicide by taking carbolic acid a week ago Sunday night,
arrived in town yesterday morning from his home in Virginia.
The funeral will take place at 9 o'clock this morning from
the rooms of Moore and McLellan.
W.A. LEAKE
June 22, 1909
W.A. Leake died last night at 10:20 o'clock at his home, No.
1106 East Monroe Street of typhoid fever, after an illness of
about three weeks. He is survived in his immediate family, by
his wife, a boy of 4 years, a girl of 2 years and a baby girl
born May 29. Deceased was 28 years old and a native of Texas.
He came here from Douglas, Arizona where he lived some time
and where his parents, four sisters and three brothers reside.
He also has a sister in Texas. He was a member of the Odd
Fellows, and the Woodmen of the World. The funeral will be
held here and will be under the auspices of the IOOF,
announcement of the date to be made later.
MRS. HORACE LEE
September 16, 1909
Mrs. Horace W. Lee, one of the leading society ladies of the
town, took her own life between the hours of 8 and 9 o'clock
yesterday morning at her home on First Street by laying down
on the floor in the dining room and placing a 38 caliber
revolver against her left breast and firing a bullet through
her heart. The husband, a well known real estate man and
bookkeeper for the Drew Lumber Company, left the house about
7 o'clock to go to his work and did not know what had happened
until he returned to his home for lunch, when he found the
lifeless body of his wife stretched upon the floor. Thinking
that perhaps there was a chance for her life, he ran for the
family physician, Dr. Palmer but he had only reached the first
corner when he met the doctor going home and the two hurried
to the scene of the tragedy when the fears of the distracted
man were confirmed as Mrs. Lee was already rigid in death.
It was evident from the first that suicide was premeditated
on account of the preparation that had been made prior to
the act. The body was clothed in a morning dress. She had
taken a pillow from the bed and lain down on the floor to meet
her death.
Lee Funeral
September 17, 1909
The funeral services over the body of Mrs. Birdye Armstrong
Lee, wife of Horace W. Lee were held yesterday afternoon at
4 o'clock. The body was taken from the home to the cemetery
followed by the heartbroken husband and sorrowing friends.
The pall bearers were: Dr. R.F. Palmer, George W. Silverthorn,
J.W. Hagerlund, J.G. Spangler, A.J. Chandler and Charles
Granger.
There was practically no new evidence brought to light since
that given in the Republican yesterday as to the motive for
the act. Among the letters left by the dead woman was one to
her husband full of endearments. The other notes were simple,
short and business like, giving instructions as to the
disposition of books borrowed from some of her friends
during the summer. The penmanship was in a clear hand and
the contents were painfully short seemingly giving evidence
of the determination of the woman to hurriedly end it all.
Mrs. Charles Peck who lives immediately west of the Lee home
did not hear the shot and yet she was but a few steps away.
From all the evidence obtainable the fatal shot was heard by
no one.
CAPTAIN LEGRO
March 4, 1909
Captain E. Legro, aged 86 years, died on Saturday afternoon at
4:30 at the residence of his son, James Legro, at Thirteenth
Avenue and Gilbert Street. Mr. Legro has been very sick for the
past five weeks. Shortly after his return from Dakota in October
he was trimming a palm tree and in some way stuck a thorn in his
right eye, causing him to lose the sight of that eye. Mr. Legro
was a Republican and a good citizen. He was an old soldier,
having served in the Civil War, the Florida and the Mexican Wars.
He leaves a widow and four children to mourn his death. The
children are James Legro of Phoenix, Mrs. Charles Haxby and Mrs.
Will Leedy of South Dakota and Mrs. George Hoke of Melrose,
Idaho.
Mr. Legro was the father of nine children. He has eighteen
grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Interment was
made in Greenwood Cemetery Sunday afternoon at 2:30. He had
many friends who will regret to learn of his death. His wife,
aged 83 years will remain in Phoenix until warm weather when
she will return to her former home in Dakota and to her
daughters. She will make her home with Mrs. Sim Davis until
that time.
