Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-04-16
pIurE SUICIDE.

A High.rened Indian takes . Short
Cas- for she Happy Hustiag
Grounds BY Quitting His Thress.
The Virginia Enterprise Of yesterday
morning contained the following:
Captain Sam. of the Piuts tribe. In.
forms "a that an Indian known a. Tom
committed suicide at the camp q short
distance east OF Gold Hill. about IL,
O'Clock night before last. BY cutting bis
throat with q large pockst-knife. He
Q Y Tom Was neither drunk NOT crazy.
but in his right mind. BE did the deed
in the presence OF several men and
women OF his tribe. He told them be
was tired OF living. there was nothing
here worth staying for. and he wanted to
20 to the regions Of the blessed. Cap
tain Sam gives II As his opinion that he
10 gone 10 the opposite direction; "down
to the hot" he says. It would appear
that the Indians did not think they had
any right to interfere With the man.
therefore when he had made bis little
speech he plunged the knife into his
neck. The jugulsr vein was severed and
be died almost instantly.
Tom was q tall man Of morose visage.
He leaves two wives and four children
three girls and . boy. the latter about
thirteen years Of age. The two wives
were probably the melting cause Of
Toms anxiety to 90 at once In search OF
the peaceful realms beyond the dark
river. Sam last evening telegraphed the
news to Toms relatives at Austin. II
10 the first case OF suicide We have ever
heard OF among the Piutes. Captain
Sam and the Indians With him appeared
to think 1t Q very wicked act. All seemed
to agree with Sam when he said Tom
had "gons down to the hot"
The Indian "Tom" mentioned in the
above item. together with his family
being we'll known in Gold Hill. Especial
reporter Of the News visited the scene Of
the tragedy at II A. NJ. yesterday. It 10
. little village or camp Of halt a dozen
cabins made Of lumber. canvas, old tin.
etc.. situated on the mountain back Of
Senator Jones' residence. Lower Gold
Hill. The houses all stand near each
other on q small fiat or comparatively
level place between two peaks.
The little village seemed to be entirely
deserted, not even q dog making its ap.
p~earance. aud the door OF each cabin
being securely fastened with o paddock.
| Toms house Is the best one, and the
door was not only locked. but q board
was nailed across Il. At one end OF the
house was q commodious woodshed,
containing q good supply Of fuel. and in
fact oil the cabins have board floors.
stoves and other conveniences, and
look very comfortable. with q decided
air OF civilization about them.
Pretty soon u decrepit old squaw was
found sitting near one OF the cabins.
She was the only person In charge Of
the village. She developed q very linn.
tied knowledge Of English in the inter-
view which followed, but 1t was con-
elusive. The reporter pointed to Toms
house and asked: where's Tom 2"
Dead" replied tho old woman. roll.
ing up her bleary old eyes with . long,
dismal howl. and then bowed her head
In deep grief.
"Dsad2 When did hs die ?"
zone Sleep. moaned she. meaning
last night.
"Ob. that's too bad now; how did he
die-shoot'em, kill'em; sarvy 2"
"Yessy, me sarvy" (making q jab at
her skinny old throat with her hand In
imitation OF q knife); "heap.s cut'em;
heap-a die" and then she howled again
a. though her heart would break.
where's Tom now I"
"Gone home" moaned the old woman;
"gons home"
The reporter found much difficulty In
getting any further definite information
from her. other than that all the other
Indians. including Toms family. had
gone with the body in the direction Of
Sutro. whether to bury, burn or how
otherwise to dispose Of II could not be
a~scertained. The reporter left the poor
old crone still sitting on the ground
wailing and moaning. alone with her
grief.
Tom was Q tall, straight, well-propor-
toned Indian. about thirty years OF age.
His two wives were sisters and found
plenty Of work about town washing and
scrubbipg. 80 that be was always finely
dressed and fed. and had plenty Of
money with which to play poker. q game
be was very fond OF aud very expert at.
a. many q white man can testify to his
sorrow. About o year ago Tom brought
home q third wife. but the other two,
"Judy" and MARY" with the assist.
snce Of their mother, who also lived
with them. gave her a red.hot thrasbing
and fred her out. Tom went. too, but
after awhile came humbly back without
her. Since then they have apparently
got along well enough until this final
episode.
The true cause OF Toms rash act can
only be surmised. Those best acquainted
with him think be did it because he was
too bigh.strung for an Indian, not cut
out for Q white man, and wal too proud
to live any longer with two wives to
work for him and support him like q
first. class gentleman. In this latter re-
spect he certainly was not cut out for q
white man. No white man ever cuts his
throat on that account.
This reporter suggests the possibility
OF this being q case Of concentrated
mother-in.law. Two mothers-in-law In
one house might serve as q good stand.
of for each other; but when Il comes to
one man marrying two sisters with their
one lively old mother also in the family.
ii becomes o tripartite combination
against the man. and he finds himself
between three fires, as It were.
Since writing the above Q Piuts Indian
and bis squaw this afternoon informed q
News reporter that the body Of Tom is
lying on the floor Of his house. where
be fell after cutting his throat. All the
other Indians. including Toms family,
Immediately left in the direction Of
Sutro, after fastening up their cabins and
mailing a board across Toms door.
i Thav aasr IN hava n unaratitiou dyaad