Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-15

He Shaves. Pays Grocery Bill and Shoots
Himself In business Like Manner
The Neighborhood Excitement-Prompt
Medical Aid of Nc Avail-Grief of the
wife--Death at IL O'clock Last Night
Theories and Speculations as to the Cause
--Was,There Skeleton In the Closet?--
An Inquest to be Held This Morning.
The ringing sounds of pistol awoke tho
echoes in the vicinity of the First Baptist
church yesterday afternoon at APO O'Clock.
Within five minutes after the echoes of the
unusual sound had died, that quiet neighbour
hood was the scene of tho liveliest commo-
ton.
A man has been killed.
A man has killed himself.
Such were the words passed, as the neigh
boring houses emptied themselves of their
excited inmates.
All fastened towards the Baptist church,
that part of the edifce which fronts on
Wacouta street. Too true, man had been
killed, or more properly, the signs were that
no had killed himself. He was
found in half reclining posture,
his head bowed on his breast and turned to
the right, on the ste ne steps of the Wacouta
street entrance to the church, nearly to the
rear.
The shot reverberated through the quiet
neighborhood at twenty minutes after
o'clock. Several heard the shot, and orc or
two are credited with having seon tho man
seat himself and deliberately commit
the deed. Be that as it may, some
lady gave the first alarm. In answer, James
Collins came upon the scene, saw the recin
ing figure on the church stops, approached,
placed his hand upon the shoulder of the
man. Then Collins discovered blood, and a
pistol fell from the palsied hands of the sui
eide. In the meantime, Gus. Johns, O
hired man at Mr.. S. S. Eaton's, came to
Collins assistance, and together they half
lifted the man, who was found to be yet
alive but wholly unconscious.
just when the rash act was committed q
girl at Mr.. G. Gotzian's saw the man seat
himself, then heard the shot, preceded by a
puff of smoke. She is credited with sum-
moning DR.. Steele. Within five min
utes after the shot was fred
DR.. Steele had tho man reclining upon a
quilt, his head resting upon a pillow, which
had been brought from the Rev. L. G..
Barnes residence, few steps away from
the scene of the tragedy.
AS the man was laid upon his back a
gaping crowd gathered around.
IDENTIFIED.
Naturally enough the question "who
is he?" was asked, then repeated.
For time none seemed to know him.
The bronzed face, large black moustache an
stalwart figure were not recognized by OH
of the vast crowd which swayed about tn
dying man. just when the question, Who
can he be? was again repeated; it was fol
lowed by the exclamation:
my God, it's Charley Slawson.''
MIR. Charles Hanft gave expression to this
astonishment. From him the many by-
ISLANDERS learned that the dying man was
Charles B. Slawson, foreman in the paint
shops of the st. Paul, Minneapolis and Man.
itoba (St Paul & Pacifc) railroad com
pany.
Mr.. Hanft further impaired the
news that only twenty minutes
before he had shaved Slawson in the barber
shop at the corner of Tenth street and
Broadway.
No intimation of his fell design had been
given Hanft by Slawson, he Slawson, gave
evidence Of no excitement. When the shave
was finished and during the tonsorial touch
Slawson was calm as usual. AS he put on his
coat he stated that he was going to Manning's
Grocery store near the corner of jackson and
Seventh streets) to pay bill. With this he
walked, having attracted no attention by
unusual conduct in any way.
Slawson was we'll known in the shop, and
had he acted IN any way to intimate his pur-
pose bis conduct would have been noticed.
NATURE OF THE WOUND.
Pending all these details communicated by
Mr.. Hanft, DIR. Steele half turned Slawson
over and discovered an ugly gaping wound
in the head just back of the ear. The pistol
ball which had made the wound was so In.
calibre and was fired from nickle-plated
"Conquerer" revolver. Blood in clotted
consistency and even brains oozed from the
gaping hole, and the steps of the church were
covered with pools Of clotted blood and gore.
The place of the wound, and the clear cut
made by the ball, gave no hopes that Slaw-
son could survive his intent-that Of self
destruction. At a glance his case was con-
sidered hopeless, though he continued TO
breathe without apparent uneasiness or eff
fort.
DR.. Stein, the coroner, had been sent for
and in few moments responded to tho
summons. Under his supervision Slawson
was carried into MIR. Gotzian's barn, lust
SPPooA.S' ~. otCOAo plOucu lOF JUS Dali,
and found it deeply imbedded in tho brain.
The patient showed no conscior sness during
the operation, not culver or tremor noted
that he sufered-only faint indication of
respiration and inspiration showed that life
still abided with the seemingly dead man.
TAKEN HOME.
The suggestion was made, and promptly
acted upon, to take the man homo, there to
breathe his last.
It was stated that his wife was not at
home, she having been observed to have
passed the barber-shop only few minutes
after her husband had loft it. However,
Slawson was comfortably placed in an OK
press wagon and the solemn cortege drew up
in front of No. IS Mississippi street, his
residence, which he had left only one hour
before in robust health.
Evil tidings are feet of foot. AS the
wagon drew up at the gateway, the walls and
mournful cries of woman's voice was
heard. Mrs. Slawson had gotten home to
receive her husband. Someone had over
taken her and given her word of the bereave-
ment which had unexpectedly been visited
upon her. One friend was in at
tendance upon her. And wife and
friend received the half dead husband. The
wife Was almost DroatrateJ au.,, oro1orl ,,;.L