The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-10
WHOLE NUMBER
A SINGULAR SUICIDE.
A FRANKLIN SENSATION.

HUGH hCGANNoN TIES HIMSELF UP IN A
! CHAIR AND SHOOTS HIMsELP-A SINGULAR
! PREPARATION FOR DEATH-LETrERs To
RELATIVES AND FRIENDs-THK DETAILS OF
THE TRAGEDY. f.,.. -.,. .
prom Special Correspondent OF the sentinelJ
FRANKLIN, IND. March GA suicide in
every way the most extraordinary on rec
ord startled this community to-day. About
ooe O'Clock the announcement fell upon
the streets that Hugh McCannon had shot
himself and that he was found tied to a
chair with the pistol in his hand. These
are the facts, but the particulars form more
singular chapter OF delibsration and self
possession. Mr.. Hugh McGannon a man
OF middle age and good appearance, came
to this place recently from Thorntown i'm
the northern part of the state. He
entered into business and met with,
poor success. This i'll success proved.
so heavily on his mind that he fell into
melancholy, and his friends, who are among
the most conspicuous citizens OF the place.
have for some time been i'll at ease concern
ing his condition. He has been living with
MS mother, and to day 1t Was arranged that
the mother and son should go over and dii o
with McGannon's bopted brother, a Young
many Of % or 26, James PAYNE The
mother went early in the day, and McGan-
non said be would be over later, sbout
dinner time. That time, however, came nd
passed, and as he did not make his appear
ance. james Payne, adopted son of Mrs.
McSannon, ran over to the house to bring
Hugh. All was silent in the room. and Re
foun'i no sign ofMr. .McGanon until his apart
ment WAS reached, when he found him sit.
ting apperentlg braced in his chair, his head
hanging over the back. second glance
revealed deadly wound in the
head, and the right arm resting
at the side with a pistol clenched in the
fingers. The young man too horrfied to
TO guess the cause ran back and brought the
suicides uncle, DIR. Payne, the brother Of
seems that, when the doctor arrived, life was
not wholly gone, but there was no chance
for recovery. The suicide had finished his
dreadful work as certainly as he had pre-
pared for it with coolness and decision, The
tragedy had been planned with
/ ASTOUNDING sBLF-PossEssIoN.
The body was found seated in a chair and
fastened by the sleeve of dress which had
been wound about the form, evidently to
keep the blood from the garments OF the
suicide. In addition to this two or
three large aprons of his mothers were
carefully tucked in about the collar ard
spread down ever the breast like a
bib to keep the blood from the shirt and
vest. More singular still, the victim seemed
to have dressed himself with unusual care.
His broadcfoth trousers were-found on him
and his best garments throughout as though
he had desired everything, done decently
and in order. The frightfuf de1iberation Of
the preparations pareyzed tire relative and
for time it was impossible to examine
the terrible event. On moving the body
however the doctor noticed slip of paper
pinned to the apron on the suicides shout
der. On examining it was found pen had
been bent like hook and on this
three separate notes Were fastened, detailing
the dead mans wishes regarding the dress
ing OF his remains and their bestowal. From
first TO last he seems to have planted with
as cool head as though it were an ordinary
event. The note said briefly that his body
was prepared for the grave just as he wanted
1t and that no change need be- made. This
explained.6h clean socks on theupshod feet
the apron spread carefully over the lap and
the mothers dress tied about the chair with
; the skirt falling over the knees. f
THE Fatal. SHOT. - I't.'.-'
On examining the body it was found, from
the dead mans posture, that he must have
lifted his right arm high enough to get aim
downward at the top of his head,
> as the wound shows the ball to
, have entered just above aud i'm
mediatelv back of the right ear. The
ball penetrated to Jne oase OF the brain and
lodged there and mus have ausAd death
= within half an hour aud prob4bly twenty
minutes after the shot. The coroner : inquest.
held Immediately after the discovery, decid-
ed substantially as above recited, and there
a is an end to speculation save, of course, as
:. to the impell,fg cause of this singular ia
tality. Hugh McGannoH. the deceased, was
. a man of attractive manners, and had many
q friends in this community. tie entered the
II feeding business and would have succeeded
:. had it not been Tor the epidemic which car
ried off a large part of tie stock hogs prin-
ii cipally. Failure to gain anything more
Y than subsistence in this line seems to have
) preyed upon his mind, and it is said that he
10 several times been on the verge of commit
IS ting the rash act. At the post mortem ex
J. animation, DIR. Payne his relative testified
3 that McGannon had frequently made in
2 quiries as to the easiest mode of getting
~ rid of lite. Some tronbles as to forme
s. partners in the milling busineis at Thorn.
town, the recent death of his father and
% the untOward COURSE OF his enter
J. prise must have driven him into q
d monomaDisc. Everything tn Ecu {
e be recalled prooves this. The careful Prepa
P ration for this event, in which he acknowl
81 edges having been baffled three times, wer,
IN matchless by the singular foresight in leav
d ing all his correspondence accessible, amone
these aSs letters to DR.. Niven, Thorntown
4 Minneapolis Minnesota, March 1, on,
OF to j. II johnson Thorntown Marched
u one to the Rev D. w. Moffatt of Fort
20 Wayne, March 4th, and one TO his uncle, i
a Payne, same date. All these letters bore Oh
70 70 the subject Of the suicide, and gave direC
- tioDs concerning his affairs. To the minis
= ter ne made a request that he should perform
- his suneral rites, as he had been his old paly
~ =, ate. he mentions the bnrying ground wher
- he is TO be laid, and directs that two mason
no shall sit mp with his remains, as thoug
10 to prove the sincerity of his purpose, b
=, speaks bis mind, and of how perfectl.
III clear it is, while writing and enters into ella
borate arguments to prove the soundness @
his conclusions. He argues with vigor AM
ID. the letters indicate that on every point saw
or the death mania he was sound and sane. III
writes affectionately of his mother, AM
sll descTibinr her kindness and dwelling OF
e. - q, L.. IL .ao.i.nll M r,naf