The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-04-08
Shocking Suicide.
TooNs, Tenn April 9th
JOSH

TOoNs, Tenn, April 9th 1880.
Mr.. EDITOR; The most shocking event
that our town has ever undergone, occurred
on last Sunday night, which was the death
by his own hand of Robt. P. Vernon, night
operator at this place.
will give first the verdict of the jury of
| inquisition and afterwards such particulars
as may be necessary to give.
The verdict was that Robt. P. Vernon
came to his death by pistol shot fired by
his own hand in the telegraph office in the
town of ICONS, Tenn, April 4th 1880 at
9 o'clock P. NJ
Nothing unusual in the conduct of Yer
non showed itself He was attentive to his
duties up to the time of the affair. At
about eight o'clock P. NJ. one hour before
the sad tragedy he had a conversation with
Mr.. D. I. Jones that led Jones to think that
he contemplated mischief to himself. He
| borrowed money from him and settled his
board bill and when paying it to Mr.. Ander-
son the gentleman he boarded with he re-
] marked that that would be the last board
bill he would be able to pay him. His at
| tending to this matter on Sunday and MAX
| ing such a remark attracted Mr.. AS atten-
ton and he was about to ask him what he
! meant by it when some one came into the
| room and the matter was dropped.
! When he borrowed the money from Jones
he also tried to borrow pistol from him,
saying that he wanted to shoot a dog that
was troubling him at night Jones told
| him he would see HIM after awhile about it
and then tried to get him to explain his IN
usual conduct. Vernon told him that he was
tired of night work and that he was going
to leave that night on the train, Jones tried
| TO persuade him to resign if he wanted to
leave and not run off from his job in the
way he spoke of, telling him that he might
want to get work again and that if he left
in that way, he could not get situation as
easy as if he quit honorably. Vernon said
| he did not want another job on railroad
that he had enough of such work and would
rather work for half price at some other
work.
From the conversation, Jones suspicioned
| that he intended taking his life and accor-
| dinghy refused to let him have his pistol, tell
/ ing him that he was afraid he intended to
do himself harm. AS soon as he found that
Jones would not let him have his pistol he
left him and went to the bed room of Mr. 7.
c. Crawford and got his Mr.. Cs pistol from
under the head of the bed, and in passing
out through the front door met Ed Young,
told him goodbye, said he was going off
Jones had watched him and as soon as he
was out of hearing, asked Young what Yer
non got in Cr;lwford's room. On being told
that he got a pistol his fears were afoused
and they followed Vernon to the telegraph
Office, but found the door locked They
called him but could not get an answer.
They went after Mr.. Crawford and myself
| thinking we could get the pistol or get in the
Office. While they were gone and while in
hearing they heard the pistol fire, and we
| ran to the office; found it still locked and
the key on the inside of the door. We broke
| open window and found him laying on his
| back on the floor, the pistol by his side and
chair laying down as though he was setting
| in it when shot and had fallen over. He
was still alive but unable to speak since
about thirty minutes. The ball entered his
left breast about one inch above and an inch
and a half to the right of the nipple and
and ranged downward, lodging under the
skin on his back.
In his vest pocket was found note adj
dressed to me and also an order addressed
to ]. C. Febiger, pay master, to pay to bear
er amount due him from the Railroad Co.
Here is the note:
Mr.. McGlathery-Pleasem make this unan-
imously known that 1 am not either I'M
der the influence of any intoxicating drinks,
only one dram have taken tonight, Meth
insane nor love-stricken. But I am willing
to trust my soul to the safe keeper and fol-
low the example of beloved brother.
could go on to an indefinite extent and tell
why and how come to this but that is I'M
necessary. Mr.. McG, feel no fear,no not
a bit, to die. Ihave striven all my life to
live in an honorable rank, and God knows
it has been my design to live such a life
My beloved frie nd 1 implore you to not
cri!icise my script, as my mind is not at
liberty. Youn men let me advise you
OH let your bar que through life be guided
straight, watch the two rocks and keep of
of them:
A word to Dear Sisters-Life's closing
scene is now here. must bid you farewell.
I hope to meet you in better world. Grieve
not for me when I am gone. Bob VERNON.
On the I1th of February, nearly two
months ago, his brother, Miles, shot and
killed himself, in Henderson, Texas, shoot
ing himself in the same manner as did Bob,
through the heart Since then Bob frequent
" spoke Of this. 1t seemed that it bore on
his mind heavily and it is thought by many
that this was the main cause of the deed.
Poor Bob was buried at the Vernon Grave
Yard, FIVE miles from here, yesterday.
Much grief was manifested by his many
friends and relatives. A large crowd gath
cred to consign his remains to their last
resting place. Truly Yours,
a +. NJ. MeGLATHERY.