The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-02-01
rERR1BLE SUICIDE.
A Man Blows the Top Of hss Head &

A Man Blows the Top OF lals Head or.
A stranger here, named James A Beck
on, who hired out Jan. 22d to work for
Mr.. o. IL. LarkIn, committed suicide at
the latter's house. AZ miles north west OF
Emporia, just before daylight last Friday
morning, by placing the muzzle Of Mr..
Larkin's doubled Darreled shot gun to his
left eye and dIscharging the gun with his
foot, the charge entering his eye and
blowing the eutire top OF his head, above
the line OF his ears, to pieces, scattering
blood. flesh, skull and brains all over the
room, and making q most horrible spects-
Gle. Mr.. Larkin was sleeping in q bed
room down stairs, and Mrs. Larkin and
Miss Ella Perkins were sleeping In the
parlor into which Mr.. Larkin's room
opened, and the suicide occupied the
room above the Parlor. just before day
light loud report woke up Mrs. Larkin
and Miss Perkins, and the former jumped
up and went 10 Mr.. Larkin's door and
asked him what the matter was He
said he thought Beekon might have got
up TO light the fire and slammed the door
hard, bat Mrs. LarkIn said 1t was too
loud a noise for that, and called to Miss
Perkins to light the lamp, and she did 90.
The next moment Mrs.. Larkin saw blood
triekling dewn the stove pipe which goes
from her room into the room above, and
told Mr.. Larkin OF that, who Immediate
ly arose, put on part OF his clothing and
went up stairs, and found Beckon's dead
body as described. He came TO the city
In haste for the coroner, DIR. TrueWorthy,
but the latter had been called out into
the country, and at noon Justice Bachel-
Ter consented to act as coroner, and went
out TO Mr.. Larkin's house and empAnnel-
ed jury, as follows: ~ r- r
w A. Brock J. c. searcy, J. d. Da-
vison, n. +. Spencer, G. w. Crownin-
shield, b. T. seArcy.
The jury found that the deceased was
partially insane, and had committed sui
eide by shooting as above stated. The
body was brought to the city and put In
Mr.. Gilmore, undertaken, who had It
properly inferred In the cemetery.
Very little has been ascertained about
the unfortunate young man who has thus
gone TO his last account. He met Mr..
Larkin on the 22d ult., near Emporia, and
asked for work, and Mr.. Larkin hired
him for S26 month. He had talked We
~ little, but acted strangely. About all
he had told about himself was that he
was from Illinois, had lived Is months in
Kansas, and had q sister living in Butler
county, thirty miles from Eldorado, IN
which case this sister lives very near the
county line. His effects, which are in
charge OF Justice Bachelor. consisted Of
clothes, and porte monte containing Is
cents in change, two railroad tickets, one
on the Chicago d Alton road to st. LOUIS,
and one from st. Louis to EIdoradO, KS,
and two notes, one for $48 so, dated Sep
TENDER IL, 1877, no place, and signed by
Martin Beckon, and one for $40, dated
Hickory township, Butler county, Kansas,
Sept. IL, 1877, signed by J. A. q 1. B.
Crecelins. The clothes comprise light
and q dark colored overcoat, the latter
new, a dark coat and vest, and light COL
ored pants. He was five feet seven inches
high, and had dark hair, aud looked as IL
he had experienced considerable suffer-
ing and distress OF mind. Some unex-
planned grief or remorse evidently drove
him to end his life In the shocking man
ner he did.