The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-09-11
SUICIDE.
A South LeavenwOrth Man Hangs
Himself.
Temporary Insanity the Proba.
BILE Cause Of the Terrible Act.

A sad case Of self destruction occurred IN
Sooth Lesvenworth early on Sunday morn.
ing. The suicide was one Pat McGraw, &
cousin of Fire Marshal McGraw, and young
man of considerable ability and promise.
He kept a grocery on Fifth avenue. jusl
south of Sigel Garden, and in q moment Of
desperation attached rope to his neck, tied
it to rafter above, kicked out from beneath
him the barrel on which he was standing,
and swung into eternity.
Mr.. J. G. Erhsrt, a market gardener who
resides at the foot of Pilot Knob, first dis
covered the body. Early Sunday morning
he came across the Gelds to get some gro
ceries al the store of McGraw, where he does
his trading, but could not get in. He then
walked to the small shed above mentioned,
where he supposed McGraw to be
asleep and tapped on the window. Not
hearing any movement within, he placed his
face close to the window and was Mortified to
see the s;ifsned body Of the unfortunate man
dangling from the ra!ieIs. He at once in
formed the neighbors, and help having been
procured a window was pried open and the
room entered. The body wss quite cold, the
face, arms and hands blackened, and every
thing indicated that the man died most
terrible death by stranguiation. The rope
was quite small, and in the end was tied. not
running Moose, but hard square knot,
leaving loop twice tie size of the mans
neck. The shed in which the act was
committed is very low indeed, and the length
of the rope abou. McGraw's neck would no
admit of the body swinging clear of the floor.
The wind pipe was found to be severed where
the rope pressed the neck, and it is therefore
quite clear that in jumping forward from the
cask the whole weight Of the body was thrown
upon the neck, causing paralysis and almost
immediate death. On the counter in the
store room was found writing which read
as follows:
"MY LAST WILL will leave everything
to Pat McGraw. l have SD 20 in bank,
and 5000 on mortgage l will also leave to
Pat McGraw. Let yon, Pat McGraw, give
$500 for the Catholic Church, and keep the
yourself.
Signed PAT MCGRAw.
No reason whatever for the committal Of
the suicidal act was given. From what We
could learn of the neiehbors, i. seems that
McGraw has been subject of late to temporary
Cts of insanity, and would often talk of leav
ing his. business and fleeing the country. On
Friday night he went to his cousins store on
Shawnee street and told him that he was 60
ing to leave the city and wanted to will him
his property. lie did rot say where he was
going, or VIXEN. On Saturday he seemed
more depressed in mind than ever, and while
getting shaved in barber shop on Shawnee
street suddenly rushed out of the room leav-
ing his coat and bat behind. That same
nigh, he went TO confessional and acted so
strangely that the priest regarded him az be.
ing insane. Sunday morning he aroused the
woman with whom he WIS boarding and
old he could no, sleep at tie store and
wanted TO get into the house. She told lin
10 go and sleep with 4 son Of hers. He then
eft aud wandered about the yard for several
minutes in his stocking feet, returned to the
.,ore, hoited and barred the doors, wrote his
as, viii and took his own IL. in the man
her above described.
In trunk by the bedside was found de- |
,osit certificates in the First National Bank |
o the amount OF nearly 81 400. Several |
lolars in silver we're found in his pants |
rocket, and papers to show that all his debts
ma the next quarters rent on the two
'ui,lings which he occupied had been paid.
cnroncI's jury returned averdict TO the eff
ect that the ulan came to his deah hy hIs |
'wn hata while temporarily insane.