The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-04-07
SUICIDE IN JAIL.
Robert Lowther Cuts His Throat and Dies
Almost Instantly.

The Deer Lodge Jail was the scene Of its
first tragedy last Friday night We men
toned last week his arrest for disorderly
conduct and forcing entrance to the dwelling
of Chris Schraider, and being fined and i'm
prisoned therefor. 1t appears now that he
had been on spree and was drinking at the
time; also that he inflicted bodily injuries
on Mrs. Cannon, nurse employed in the
family of Mr.. Schraider, which confined her
to bed for week When imprisoned he was
toned down gradually on stimulants, and al
though he had appeared little "of" one
evening, had recovered his reason and ap-
peared in first-rate spirits. Friday evening
he ate very hearty supper and sat up with
his fellow prisoners playing cards and talk
ing until ten o'clock. He then stepped in
TO his cell, returned and lit his pipe, and
again returned saying to one Of his fello "
prisoners, GOOD night, Hank" In two or
three minutes after. Michael Farm, the jail
or who slept on top of the cage, heard some
thing gurgling and trickling like water and
called down to know what IL was. "Come
down and see," responded Lowther. The
tailor then called to another prisoner to as
certain what was the trouble, and about that
time something fell. They found Lowther
living on his face weltering in blood and
speecbIess. Under Sheriff McTague was
called and DIR. Mitchell brought in, but the
victim had died in a few minutes after he
fell. He had evidently first made two strokes
On the left side of his neck but finding tne
knife dull he changed 1t to his right hand
struck IL in the full depth of the blade III
being an ordinary pocket knife) and ripped
II across. severing the internal carotid artery
and iugular vein and making horrible gash
The noise the jailor had heard was the Dlooo
purgling from his throat. Lowther was
native of Canada, about 30 years OF age ano
said to be very respectfully connected. He
had followed numbering as an avocation, hae
at different times worked at the WHO"
Creek, Gable and Mill Creek Mills, and wa
| well thought of and good man when TEN
perate. Following is the
| VERDICT OF coRoNER's JURY.
- Territory of Montana, IS
| County of Deer Lodge,
An inauisition holden at the Jail in said
| county on the 31st day of March, A. ID. lSS2
| before me, Orren Emerson, Justice OF TN
| Peace and acting Coroner OF said count
upon the body of Robert Lowther there ~
ing dead by the jurors whose names are mere
unto subscribed, the said jurors upon thei
oath do say:
We, the undersigned Jurors duly summon
ed to appear before Hon. Orren Emerson
p. Acting Coroner of said county OF Dee
Lodge, at the Jail Of said county, on the on
day of March A. d. 1892, to inquire into tn
canse of the death of Robert Lowther, ha'
ing been duly sworn and having made sue
inauisition, after inspecting the body an
hearing the testimony adduced, upon OF
oaths. each and all do say that we find I'd
deceased was named Robert Lowther, age
about thirty years; that he came to his deaf
on the slst day of March A. d. 1852, In th
county by infiicting a wound on the rigi
side Of his neck, with apocket knife, therein
causing his own death by his own hand.
J.E. vAsGUSDY, Foreman.
JAMES o'DoSsELL,
. Gus ZosEL,
WIN. BRENT,
PETER LANSING,
HENRY DEWITT.
; The remains were buried In the cemetel
Saturday.
-. xr...fctx,uI Election.