Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-17
A SAD SUICIDE.
The Deed COoIly and Deliberately
r. Planned at Every Step. ii Il
NO known Cause, Unless Tenn
porary Mental Dependency.

L
porary Mental Dependency.
A sad tragedy was enacted at the
Lamar House Thursday night In the
suicide, by shooting himself through
the head, of Mr.. Jas. Kirkpatrick, a
| popular and rising young business
man .of this city, representa-.
| tive of the VIII lesale clothing houee
| of /. Whitehlll g. Co.. Baltimore.
1t was about O'clock, perhaps. that
he entered the Lamar House office,
registered and called for q room, say
ing he did not want supper. He was
assigned to room 80. Before being
shown up he called for and was given
four sheets OF paper and envelopes.
After going to his room, he wrote four
letters, to his mother, sister and two
brothers, John and Frank. He also
made some orders, which were filled by
the porter, John Ward. He then gave
John the four letters, told him to
deliver them the next morning,
and also to call him at O'Clock the
next morning, John left the room,
and that was the last seen or heard
that night.
About half past o'clock. yesterday
morning, John, the porter, happened
to be passing through the hall by the
room and discovered the gas burning
In No. 80. This, OF course, created
suspicious, and finding the door un.
fastened, he opened 1t and found to
his horror the body Of James Kirk.
patrick lying on the bed cold and stiff
In death, with pistol shot through
his head. 1t was evident, from an ex-
animation, that the deed had been done
very soon .after John left the room.
He left an apple partially eaten, and
had just lain down on the bed, without
undressing at all, and, placing the pls.
tol to his right temple, fred the fatal
shot. The ball was lodged just under
the skin on the other side of the head.
The pistol was still clenched in his
hand, which had fallen down on his
breast, and there was no evidence that
he had made move or struggle
after the shot.
Coroner A. 3. Hudiburg being mott.
fed attended and summoned q jury Of
inquest. After hearing the evidence
they returned the following verdict:
"We the undersigned jury, being
duly sworn for the purpose, after view.
ing the remains, examining the sur
rounding circumstances and hearing
the evidence, are OF the opinion that
James s. kirkpatrick came to his
death by pistol shot fred with his
own hard with suicidal intent.
Signed, w. +. Gibbs, Ambrose Gaines,
r. Fl. Hood, w. A. Henderson, b. d.
J. Lewis, e. E, Mcmillan, 3. E.
Young"
The body was then taken charge OF
by friends, dressed and taken to the
home of the deceased's mother.
The deceased was a con of the late
Prof. r. L. Kirkpatrick, and was
about 26 years of age. He has been
for some time representing the cloth.
Ing house OF /. Whitehill d Co., Bslti-
more. He was young man of noble,
generous and manly characteristics,
possessed of fine business quslifica-
tons and was universally liked wher.
ever he travelled. He possessed tn,
entire confidence of his house, and wal
regarded by them as one of their mos
successful statesmen.
He had returned but a few week
since from southern trip, and wa
stopping with his mother. The dee,
was one OF the most deliberate W,
have ever known OF. 1t transpirei
that he had made several unsuccessful
attempts to borrow pistol during the
Afternoon, but finally succeeded in
getting one from Mr.. Reuben n
Payne, after much difficulty and
making several promises. No ons
suspected for moment that his in
tentions were self-destruction.
AS to the cause for the rash deed
there is something OF mystery. II
none OF the letters written was ther,
anything assigned, except an allusiol
to an appetite for drink. The jur!
of inquest opened the letter to hi
brother John, which contained abou
, the same statement as in the othert
as to his determination, coupled witt
few words Of warning to John. ]
is the opinion OF his intimate friends
that the act was brought on by a TEN
porary fit OF dependency, though b
appeared perfectly at himself to al
persons who had conversations will
him beforehand.
; 1t fell as sad blow to the famiI,
and friends, especially his mother
who was at the time quite seriously ii
1t also cast gloom over the entir
community, where he was SO we
known aud liked. His brother, Fran
B. Kirkpatrick, who is practicin
lawyer at Jscksboro, was notified YET
terday evening, and will arrive thi
morning.
The funeral services will take plac
at y o'clock this afternoon, at In
residence, on Main street.
--e
3 Stop that coughing; If you do moi
1t may Kill you. A bottle OF DR.. Bull
Cough Syrup only costs you rs cents
, and its timely use may save your life.