The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-12-10
Distressing Suicide
A Well Known Citizen Shoots
Himself Through the Head.


Yesterday morning about two o'clock
Lyman Shepard a well known photo
grapher, employed with Brown q Hig-
gems, committed suicide by shooting
himself through the head with pistol
ball, at Mrs. DOMAINS, No. 1926 Chap
line street, corner OF Alley 9, where e
and his family boarded.
Mr.. Shepard went home about hall
past one o'clock yesterday morning and
after partly undressing himself, asked
his wife where his pistol was. AS he
had threatened to kill himself about
week since, che had hid the weapon.
Startled by his inquiry, and her former
fears coming back to her, shs told him
it was up stairs. He said that he
would 20 up after it, but he hardly be-
lieved that it WAS there, and that he
did believe che had put it away. "If
you know where it is tell me. II
can't get that III 60 down town and
get one" All The time he was talking,
he was rummaging in the wardrobe
drawers. Finally he found the weapon,
put it on the bareau and told his vile
to 20 to bed that he would sit up and
| read awhile. Just as she lay down,
she saw him take the pistol in his
right hand, place the muzzle to his
tenn pie and fire. The ball went in near
the right eyebrow. passing obliquely
through the brain and lodging under
the skin about an inch above the let
ear.
The Mortified vile ran to DR.. B. w.
Aliens room, shouting that Mr.. Shep.
ard had killed himself The DR.. went
to her assistance and found Shepard
sitting in the chair, where he had COM
mitted the rash act his head on one
side and the pistol still grasped in his
hand. DR.. Baird was also sent for but
nothing could be done, and by half
past two o'clock the sonl OF Lyman
Shepard had taken its everlasting flight,
Squire Gillespy was sent for and on
his arrival jury was empanneled,
about four o'clock yesterday morning.
After hearing the evidence the jury
brought in the following verdict:
At an inquisi,ion taken at the resi-
dence of Mr.. Mary Donlan. No. 1925
Chapliue street, in the city of Wheeling
in the county of Ohio, on the 9th day
of December, 1873, before r. II. Gill
lespy, justice Of the District OF Madl-
son, in said county, upon the view OF
the body OF Lyman Shepard, there lying
dead, the jurors sworn to inquire when,
how and by what means the said Ly-
man Shepard came to his death, upon
their oaths do say that his death was
caused by a guushot wound in the right
temple, Inflicted by himself with pis-
tol found in his right hand
B. A. Galligan, foreman, r. S. Brown
Thos. j. Finney, l. F. Jones, Thomas
NJ. Darrah. F. Langley, John D. Rey~
nolds, A. J. Caldwell, Jas. Watson, W.
II. W. Cowden, II. E. Brown and j. D.
Flynn.
Mr.. Shepard was about thirty years
of age, has been married some two
wears and has one child. He former
Ily lived in Oneida, New York. Com
Gortably situated, with life just opened
to him, a wife and child dependent up-
on him, good situation and hosts Of
friends, we can find no reason for the
rash act. We cav him about one
o'clock yesterday morning apparently
as gay and happy as any man IN
Wheeling, and with no thought, per-
haps, that IN a brief hour and a half,
he would have solved the secret Of life
and the mystery OF death. It ia one OF
the most unaccountable suicides that
we have ever known OF.
We learn last evening that telegram
had been received from Mr.. Shepherds
father, saying that he would be here
to-day end tske charge OF his sons re-
! mains