Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-02-08
THE SUICIDAL SHOT.
Mr. A. f. Murphy Shoots Himself in
the K cad.
His aanIa for Self Desirue ION not
Quite SaIIcred.


Quite SaIfUted.
The usual quietude and serenity Of
our city was somewhat disturbed be-
tween s and 8 O'Clock yesterday morn
Ing by the rumor, which gained rapid
circulation in every nook and corner
of the city, that some man had shot
aud killed himself in q ombeIland
street livery stable, and a brief inves-
LEGATION revealed the body of Mr..
Arthur z. Murphy lying in Mr..
Ben. G. Andes stable, where he had
FALLEN BY HIS OWN HAND.
In order to make an Intelligent re.
port of the sad tragedy, it becomes
necessary - go back for a short space.
MIR. Murphy the unfortunate man, az
been a resident of Knoxville for about
three months, having removed his
family here from Sewer county, which
had been his home all his life. He
was the owner of fac and valuable
farm, which he sold to his brother,
and was also possessed of other prop
erty, and in excellent circumstances
financially. He has been deal
ing in stock for several
months past, buying up and taking
South, ard his object in coming to
Knoxville was to be handler to his
business. and also to school his chill
dren. His speculations in stock have
been attended by the usual results in
that line Of business; sometimes he
made money, sometimes he lost. 1t
has been noticeable by his most init
mate friends for some time, however,
that he did not seem to be doing as
he would perhaps desire, being always
in rather
DEPRESSED STATE OF MIND.
He has been suffering for some
days with some liver complaint also,
to which he was subject, and was look
ing in very bad health.
But, to come to the point, when Mr.
Murphy left Sewer county it was with
the avowed intention of never return
ing there to live, but his folks there,
who were opposed TO his leaving in the
first place, had finally prevailed on
him 10 return, consequently the
wagons were sent down and yesterday
morning he was to leave with his fam
lily, returning TO Sewer. In
fact, one load of bis
household goods had already gone,
and the wagons and hack for the fam
lily were standing at the house when
the deed was com mitted.
He had leased the Pead property on
Grove street fora year, when he came
to Knoxville. II seems that he has
had some trouble with his landlord
about his leaving the property. after
three months occupancy, and that
seems 10 have been weighing heavily
on his mind, from the drift o. his con-
versaiion with his friends fer q iay CT
two. This, in connection @ifh
1EMPORARY FIEANCI-L : !. UGLLs
Is the only cause to which the dtsper-
ate act can be attributed.
Mr.. Murphy has been in The habit Of
spending much of his tine about Al
Jes' stable, that being the place where
he generally sept his stock. Yester-
day morning,
A SHORT TINE BEFORE THE TRAGEDY.
lie was n the stable, and was noticed
by Mr.. Andes aud others to be looking
worse than usual. In reply 10 ques-
tions about his going back TO Sewer,
his answers were rather eva
sive and unsatisfactory. He was
only there short time when
he went cut, went up TO The stable of
Mr.. w. H. Wsyland, walked back
into the lot and out sgaiD. then to
Andy Cookies stable, acting at both
places pretty much as at Andes. He
then, it seems, went directly back to
Andes stable, and, though he was not
seen by Mr.. Andes, nor any of the sew
eral men sitting in the office, lie passed
by the stable-boy, Dutch making
some passing remark, went up In the
lot turned, walked back out to the
street, and into the buggy and wagon
shed, the front door of which was open.
In very few minutes the report of
a pistol was heard, and Dutch hear
ing kind of gurgliDg noise, thought
some one had shot the stable dog. He
ran round to see about it, and discov-
cred man ly ing in the shed, and gave
the alarm. Mir. Andes and the other
gentlemen ia The Office came out and
were
AsToUNDED AT THE SIGHT.
Mr.. Murphy was lying at full length
on some loose hay, on his back. He
had stood just at the end ofa hack, held
his pistol to his head, just back Of and
a little over The right ear, and fired the
Inflated sho.. Then he had just fallen
back ward, and was lying with his left
hand in his pants pocket, his bat lying
at his feet, aud his right hand stretch
ed down his side, with small four
barrel pocket pistol lying few inches
from this hand. -dr. Andes recog-
nizei the pistol as Mr.. Murpby's, it
having been # at | is stable for some
time on a former date.