Whitehorse Star, September 20, 1907

With Murder in his Heart

Robert Whittier Blows Out His Own Brains After Attempting to Murder Ida Williams.

Keeper of a House of Ill Repute, un the North End, With Whom He Wa Infatuated.

An attempted murder followed by suicide occurred in the "North end" at about 12:45 a.m. Monday. The tragedy took place at the home of Ida Williams, keeper of a bagnio in that part of town.

The would-be murderer and suicide was Robert Whittier, a carpenter about 28 or 30 years of age, a man who has been in this locality at irregular intervals for the past three or four years. As a result of the tragedy, Whittier lies in a suicides grave and Mrs. Williams is confined to her bed at her home with a portion of the skull of the back of her head shot away.

The story of the attempted murder and suicide as elicited at the coroner's inquest conducted by Inspector Demers, R.N.W.M.P., with the following jury: J.P.Whitney, foreman, R.Unsworth, P.D. McMillan, Wm. Drury, Fred R. Alley and Arthur Thompson, was gleaned from Mrs. Williams and a man named Shooke, the only eye witnesses to the tragedy, although there was another man in the house at the time, was as follows:

Whittier, who first came to Whitehorse over three years ago, was much infatuated with Mrs. Williams and he, with another young man, was very attentive to her in the capacity of nurse at the time she sustained a broken leg about a year ago. In fact, he had practically made her house his home for a long time although he had a shack in the woods a few yards south of her house.

Sunday night he was at Mrs. Williams' house and, according to evidence, was offended at seeing the object of his affections attentive to other men with the result that, without any preliminaries, he attempted the woman's life and a second later took his own.

Whittier had his left arm around the woman's neck when she first discovered the revolver, a 38 caliber, owned by the woman, by the way, in his right hand. Seeing him leveling the weapon at her head she "ducked" forward and the bullet struck the back of her head, tearing away a small portion of the skull.

A second later, and before Shooke could interfere, Whittier had turned the gun and had shot himself in the head, the bullet entering slightly back of the right temple and passing through the head, coming out near the left ear.

Whittier was never conscious after he shot himself but did not die until about 2:30 o'clock, or one hour and forty-five minutes afterward.

Drs. Cade and Pare, who were called in their professional capacity to examine the dying man and the wounded woman, were also witnesses before the coroner's jury. The jury brought in a verdict that the deceased came to his death by his own hand. There was no evidence to show that Mrs. Williams had ever encouraged Whittier's attentions any more than those of other men.

For the past several years Whittier has been employed by Eli Hume, Archie Gould and other contractors and is said to have been a good workman and a quiet, steady young fellow. He was a native of eastern Canada and Mrs. Williams testified that he had frequently told her how he was a nephew of Sir Charles Tupper.

Up to yesterday evening no arrangements had been made regarding the burial of Whittier. If no word is received by noon today the police will take charge of the body and bury it this afternoon.

SPRING CLEANUP

Women Fined For Violating Liquor Law.

Police Magistrate Taylor appeared before a full house last Friday morning when no fewer than ten women residents of the restricted district were before him charged either with selling whisky without license or with being inmates of disorderly houses.

Those fined for the first offense were: Minnie Dale, $100 and costs; Violet Devere, $100 and costs; Ida Williams, $100 and costs; Louisa Bernal, $100 and costs; Rosie Greenburg, $50 and costs; Take Yoshinoto, or Howshouldiknow, $50 and costs. It was the first conviction for the latter two.

Those fined for being inmates were: Beatrice Collins, $10 and costs; Bertha Harris, $10 and costs; Mamie Ray, $10 and costs; Lillian Wallace, $10 and costs. The costs in each of the above cases amounted to $5. There are several more to come up on similar charges.

The Weekly Star Friday May 24th, 1907