Clark County NV Archives Obituaries.....MAYER, Louis H. May 13 1919
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Gerry Perry missgerry(a)cox.net June 30, 2004, 1:46 am
Las Vegas Age - 5/17/1919
A GRUESOME TRAGEDY AT R.R. EATING HOUSE
LOUIS H. MAYER COMMITS SUICIDE WITH RAZOR WHILE TEMPARARILY{sic} INSANE
Louis H. MAYER, who arrived in Vegas Sunday morning, May 11, to take a
position as pantryman at the railroad eating house in this city, was found
Tuesday evening about 10:30 in his room on the second floor of the eating
house, lying on the floor, his body partly under the bed, dead from a ghastly
cut in the throat. The body and the room were splashed with a gory flood, the
man's jugular vein having been severed and his death struggles having
apparently been strenuous.
Coroner LILLIS and Dr. LYNWALTER were called and viewed the body that
night, after which it was removed to the undertaking rooms. The inquest was
held Wednesday, the 14th, Coroner LILLIS having summoned M. M. RILEY, J. F.
COYLE and J. M. EVANS to act as jurors.
Charles M. MADDEN was the first witness examined. He testified that he had
known the deceased about 3 days. He was sent here from Los Angeles as a
pantryman: "I was going to bed about 11 o'clock and was called by the porter
telling me that the pantryman was dead. I asked the porter to go for a doctor,
which he did. So after Dr. LYNWATER and the nurse came we went to the room and
found the pantryman dead, lying on the floor under the bed. The doctor and
nurse sent for the coroner. After we came out I locked the door and no one
entered the room. When he arrived on May 11, he told me that he had worked at
the Beverly hotel at Los Angeles and said he was born in Indiana.
Jerry USICK testified that he was porter at the eating house. Had known
the deceased three days. "He told me that he was registered (for the draft) at
Reno, September 11, 1918 as Louis Henry MAYER."
Dr. Don C. LYNWATER testified that he is a physician and surgeon. Examined
the deceased for the R. R. Co. for the position of pantryman and found him
normal. "He made a statement to the effect that they suspected him of being
pro-German, a German spy and a bank robber. I do not know who those parties
were. He voluntarily offered this confession. In mind he seemed
melanchollac. He said certain persons were after him and that they were going
to 'get him tonight.' From his talk I did not understand that it was the U. S.
Government. When I was called to the death scene I found a pool of blood with
the body under the bed, no pulse or respiration. The cause of death was a cut
with which he severed the jugular vein and external carotid artery."
Phillip William LEDERER testified that he had known the deceased since May
11. "He said he had a daughter about 16 years old. Did not mention any other
relatives. I saw him last alive about 8:30 p.m., May 13. I roomed with him.
He was lying on his right side, his head under the bed in a pool of blood. I
was going to bed after my shift was over. I went up the stairs and knocked at
the door numerous times and could get no reply. I went down stairs and told
the second cook who happened to be in the kitchen. He said he thought he was
in bed and to keep knocking if I couldn't get in any other way. I went up
stairs with the porter and he tried the door with his key and succeeded in
opening it. I went in and turned on the switch and found him lying on his
right side covered with blood. I turned off the switch and ran down stairs and
told the second cook, who notified Mr. MADDEN. When Mr. MADDEN came in he sent
for the doctor. I went up stairs again and saw the body lying on its back and
under the bed, the feet protruding slightly. That is all I did. I went to
sleep in a small room in the yard."
E. J. TOMLISON testified that he has been a resident of Las Vegas since May
5th. That he is second cook at the eating house and had known the deceased for
about two days. "I had a conversation with him yesterday evening, from about
7:30 to 8:30. He stated to me that they were going to get him. He told me to
go into his grip and get letters and pictures of and from his wife and daughter
who I think he said lived in Indianapolis. Telling me also that he was going
to be tarred and feathered and killed by 'them'; stating also that he wasn't
the man they thought he was. I asked him, 'what is the matter with you,
Harry? Are you a dope fiend? 'No,' he replied, 'though I have been on an
awful drunk at Vernon and cigarettes have done the rest.' I implored him to go
to bed, that no one was going to harm him. He replied, 'It's no use, Uncle Sam
always gets the man he is after, but they are mistaken. I am not the man. I
am not a pro-German or a robber.' He asked me if I really thought he could go
to bed without being killed before daylight. I told him, 'certainly'. I then
went with him to the kitchen and I suppose he went to his room.
The verdict of the jury delivered through J. M. EVANS, foreman, found that
the deceased was a native of the United States, about 30 years of age. That he
came to his death on May 13 by a razor held in his hand, by cutting the jugular
vein and main arteries in his neck while temporarily insane.
Among the effects of the deceased the coroner found $5 in currency, $2.55
in silver, one small gold watch and a very light watch chain, one suit of new
and one suit of old clothes, underclothing, etc.
A message to Indianapolis by the coroner brought a response from Mrs. Mayme
MAYER, probably the wife of the deceased man. Arrangements for the disposition
of the remains have not been completed pending further instructions from the
relatives.