The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-06-21
Death of Captain II. G. McComas
We find the following in the New Or
leans Times of Sunday

We find the following in the New Or
leans Times of Sunday:
Captain H. G.. McComas, of the stea-
mer Lottawanna, who, on Thursday
afternoon, at one o'clock, shot himself
in the right temple, on board his boat,
lying at the foot of Fourth street, and
was removed to his residence, No. lO9
Philip street, died yesterday afternoon
at one o'clock. Coroner Crcagh held
the inquest, when the following evil
dence was obtained:
Russell Isham, mate OF the Lolita
wanna, being duly sworn, said: "On
Thursday, June /, about one O'Clock,
as was coming ont of Tchoupisoulas
stree. car, and going into my boarding
house, at the corner of Fourth street, l
was overtalen by the steward OF the
boat, who said to hurry up to the boat,
the old man has shot himself. ! asked
him what he meant. He said hurry,
the captain has shot himself; go on
board quick. I ran to the ,dining-room
of the boarding house, and, calling the
engineer, ran up to the boat, to the
Captains room, in the texas OF the
boat. He was lying on the floor in
front of his bed. The carpenter OF the
boat was near his head, putting pill
low under his head. said: "For
: Gods sake, Captain, what does this
mean 2" He answered, 81 shot myself
once; there is the pistol on the bed,
and letter; give it to my wife,
Then he said !: "Unfasten my drawers
and take them off" l did so. lie
!, said "God have mercy on me-"
r The letter referred to is written on a
letter sheet of the clerks office, and 1t
read as follows:
"MY DEAR WIFE-Failure has des-
! troyed my life. May God have mercy
r on my wife and children, and my soul
, HARRY"
Drs. w. H. Berthelot and r. F. Mai
I neyra, who made the post mortem ex
animation of the body, gave the follow
. ing certificate: -,
aNEw ORLEANS, June 8, l871.--Tli
. is to certify that Harry 6. McComa
: died this day, at No. 100 Philip street
S of a eunshot wound in the region Of tin
4 temporal bone of the head, about ON
and half inch obliqnely above TIL
:, right eye; said wound ranged obllque
" downward and lodged in the poster
:, Tor of the throat; said wound wounde'
= the lower portion of the right hem;s
O phere of the brain, causing compression
of the brain, paralysis and death.
: w. H. BERTHELoT, NJ. D.,
: R.F. MAINEYRA, M. D."
Q The Jury gave verdict that til
q above wound was inflicted by plsto
v in the hands of deceased.
The Cincinnati Commercial says o
the deceased: He was an old citizen Q
= Cincinnati, and at one time quit
l. wealthy here, being one of the foun
ders of the old Cincinnati and Nash
j. Vile Packet Line. He built and com
e manded a number of steamers, perhap
l. as many as any other commander o
d our waters. He was noted for his In
rs domitable energy, Notwithstanding nj
rs many reverses Of fortune. Among tn
l. boats he commanded and were IL
,r terested in were the Susquehenn'
,e Nav Duke, Brooklyn, st. Cloud Trus
" tee. Robt Rogers Colonel Dickensol
u Seyenty-six, Scotland, M. S. Mephan
r John Simpson John Swasey, San
h. Gloon. Statesman, Lewis Whitemal
of NJ. Burns, Pennsylvania, E. W: ST.
n. phens, Mary Stephens, Imperial, Nj
+. repta, Leni Leoti, Julia A. RUDOLF
I'd and Lotawanna' He was a native
M MARYLAND and self-made man, havir
Sc been partially reared by the eld
Booth, the noted tragedian.