The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-05-27
DEATH Of Holmes stephenson.
Friday evening Of last week as Mrs

Friday evening Of last week as Mrs.
James Gardner, who lives on the
Milcsburg and Smethport turnpike,
about three miles northwest of this
village, while out looking for her COW,
suddenly came upon dead man
Calling assistance an investigation
was made which satisfied the persons
present that the remains were those Of
Holmes M. Stephenson, a young man
thirty-two years of age, who had been
away from home since the Goth Of
April. Esquire Mead was notified the
next day of the finding of the corpse
and as acting Corner proceeded to en-
panel jury. The jury rendered YER
diet in effect that the deceased came to
his death by his own hand but whether
accidentally or otherwise were unable
to determine. Mr.. Stephenson lett the
house Of his father, Isaac Stephenson,
who lives not far from the place where
the young man was found, stating that
he was going to Brookston, and sup
| posing he had gone to that place no
alarm was felt OH account of his alb
sence. When found the corse was in
an advanced stage of decomposition,i in
fact was swarming with worms, the
clothes only sutficing to hold the flesh
aud bones together. An attempt to
remove the body resulted in severing
the head from the body. The head
was taken to q stream hard 10y and
washed disclosing the fact that a ball
had entered the head just above an
eye, and penetrating upward re-
manning lodged in the brain. A seven
shot revolver was found close bv the
dead man with the chambers empty !;
a watch was on his person, as also
Sl2.50 in cash. No reasonable cause
can be shown to support the theory of
suicide, therefore, we dismiss that al
together and claim that the shooting
was accidental. or course no witness
appears; the man is dead, and all we
write is simply supposed, which sup
position may be as far from right as are
L
the revolver were all empty perhaps he
had been shooting small animals or
idly emptied his weapon for want Of
better pastime, until but one remained
when he. with the muzzle pointing in
the direction of his head, endeavOred
to ascertain why the last cartridge
hung fire, and with thumb and finger
on the cylinder he revolved it until
this last cartridge was reached, at
which place the hammer went down,
the swift messenger of death did its
sure work while the victim sank
quietly to the ground, dying without
struggle.
AS evidence that death was
instant a slight twig lay across the
dead mans feet while other little twigs
rested in his hands, and the leaves and
bushes by were scarcely displaced, the
rusty revolver lay close by the body.
The sun rose and declined, the gentle
summer winds moved with quiet
breath the fallen leaves, birds sang i'm
the summer foliage, but quietly lay
the unconscious sleeper, while sun,
winds, leaves and birds were no more
for him, while mystery never more
to be solved enveloped the breathless
clay. The revolver and watch were
sold the deceased by T. D. Rhines who
fully Unidentified them, thus leaving
no doubt as to the indentity of the de.
| ceased. The interment took place at
the new cemetery OH Saturday after
noon.
Decoration Day will be celebrated
on May Goth this year, the regular day
May 3Oth, falling on Sunday. Chill
w. Hazard. Commander of the De.
partment of Pennsylvania, Grand
Army of the Republic has issued in
struction to the Comrades of the
Grand Army and an appeal to the
citizens of Pennsylvania for a sacred