, 1874-04-10
SUICIDE.
A Well-I2nown Citizen Shoots
Himself Through the
Head.
The Cause Mental Depression Produced
by Peouniary Difficulties.
The Act O. Premelitatod One,

John Il. Pointer, a roaidaut Of Chicago for
twenty-five years. aud u gentleman wel-known
! in tho business circles Of this city, committed
suicido yesterday in tho Brovoort HouBe. For
eomo simo past, Mr. Pointer has boon very low
spirited on account of peouniary difficulties, and
short time ago tried to poison hl1naelf, but by
| taking m oyer-doao ho defoatcd his own pur-
poao. Wednesday. evening gentleman called
I as the DrovooTt House and registered ~. II,
Pointer, City," Ho waa given room md imme-
diately retired. Yesterday, about II O'clock ono
of tho bell-boys wont to 1ir. Pointers room aud
| fonnd him lying on tho loor, bleeding from
| pistol wound IN tho head.
DR.. Z. J. Farwoll was at once calod, but
could do no good, and aoon after AGr. Pointer
! died.
THE INQUEST.
Coroner stephens lavlpg boon notified, at
onco inpaneloa Jury, WITH ex-dov. Brosa us
The first witness examined was Willie Clnrk,
tho bell-boy, who found Mr. Popiar dying, Id
testified rs follows: Found the deceased lying
on the floor; ho WIS groaning and tho blood was
pistol IN his left haud.
Harry Nye, being sworn, gayo the following
toatlmony: Am njght-clerk at tho Breoyort
House; deceased came in Wednesday, evening
saw him before; ho w4s not in tho least intoxi-
port Of tile piHtol; was called when tie deceased
WIS found dying. Tho witneBs then identified a
pistol shown q tim m by the Coroner as tho one do
DR.. q. J. Farwell testified that ho was callod
to attond deceased; found him lying on his faco
III pool Of blood, shot through tho right tenn
pie; probed for tho bullet and Immediately
and had him placed On cot.
Leora polnior, being sworn, testified as fol-
lows: Am the vito Of doceascd; tho body lying
in tho noxt room Ii that Of my husband; am re-
siding vt No; 77o Michigan ayonuoi last SOW
doceasod on Tuoaday, ,vhon he camo to talk oyor
hla business affairs he spoke Of going to Iowa.
but did not appear decided about anything; he
l,ad been low spirited for long time, and at
times acted atrangcly,;, would talk in hia sloep
for hours until he would become yory fatigued;
he oncs before tried to take Lis life by poisoning
Aimsolf, but took SO much TINT 1t mado him SICK,
md vomiting aavod his lite,
DIrH. poinler was then shown slip Of paper
on which was written, ''Hond my olothea to 770
Michigan ayenuo," and the letter to Gov. Dross
given below, both Of which ahs pronounced to
be tue writing Of deceased.
H18 LAbr MESSAGE.
Gov. DroAB then read to tho Jury tho following
fettor found on deceased and addressed to him;
Th,s noto will surpIise YOU; AZ haye 70 aey is
teenth street, head Prairie aycuuo, DO used I'll tho
cause Of ac!enco, After having completed the autopsy
ns. t.
takeu grs. morphine. Do not Aayo NE hacked up by
hor. There Will ba no neceaslty for Coroner's jury
Wish DR.. Patterson to jou you. God bless you. 0
could YOU ~ VT writing. You would tap maon
tho back you wero wont to do n yea.s ago and a.
most 15-aay oohn God bless you. Ny other affairs
ure Ill eottloa scarcely know how to cosc All tbat
can .y In tho language of n4 NY for tue
IL iTiiiiaa n. Bross, esq., Trtou,s e5ice.
| THE LETTER EXPLAINED.
| Tho above letter was undoubtedly written on
| tile 2i Of April though Il IL thought by some OF
| Mr. Ponier's frlonds that In his unsettled state
| OF mind he mado mstako In tho date. Seven
| days ago gentleman called on Gov, DroBs and
Informed him that Ae lad just loft Mr. Polntor,
| who showed him lottcr directed to tho Gov
| ornor and a quantity, Of morphine, portion OF
| which he said ho had swallowed for the PURPOSE
| Of putting an ond to his lifo. I1c said ho would
bo dead III twontY-four hours, aud appeared do
| tcrmiuod to kill himself at all hazards. Who
| tho gentleman WAS oudoavorlng to dissuaao him
onored Mr. polntor q small 1ob Ho accepted
| 1t, and aftarworl remarked, "rhls will put it
| OF twonty-four hours ut any rato." Finding
rononstranoe uscloas, tue gonuoman thon LOFT
! him.
| It has Ainno been Racertaiped that Mr. Potnior
| did the work, aul tllat le subsequently got au-
other job, which he also worked on and CON-
| pletea. This employment restrained him from
committing suicide batwcon the day on which
tho letter was W1itton and yesterday, but his
keoplug tho lettor In his poa6esalon shows clear
" that le waa determined on aolf-dostruoti0n
I'LL the time.
THE VERDICT.
| The Jury found tAat dooeasod died from pis-
tol Bhot wound inflicted by llmuslf while IL 4
state ol mental dsptesaiou.