The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-12-05
sA0T HIMSELF.
A Sad Happening at the international
| Hotel.
Wilt Church Shoots Himself Through
the Head.

Aiit CkErca ShGGtS Hihseis faF0Hsn
the. Head.
This community was startled yester-
day afternoon bv the staten ent that Mil
ten z. Church, one Of the nost. pol1.ar
of Helena's Young iaen, lad killed him
self in one Of Tie a, ariments Of tie IN
ternational Hotel. It was reported that
| ii was a case of delibc.ate suicide and
| the surprise was great, as the deceased
was known to be ola very cheerful dis
position and SO far as his friends knew
there were no complications, either in
business or otherwise, to give ca;ise for
the commission Of such rash deed.
The TRAGEDY tt-a:rreh in one u the
| lower rooms o. the Observation-Disclosures
Der 20.
at about 2 o'clock, Mr.. Church, who
was engaged in the dry good, establish
ment Of Van Wart & Co. the expected
to become member Of the firm abo;:t
the lst Of january told tEr Van "art
that he was unwell and would go and
get some medicine. He went to the IN
ternational Hotel Che boarded there
| where he was met By Mr.. Ed. stone.
Northern Pacific Land agent Of Mon
tana, (for whom he lad previously kept
books and went with hinl to his
room. They had some conversation
about ordinary business matters and then
atr. Church got up to go. Mr.. Stone
accompanied him to tie door, where
Church handed him Letter Ito Scott ::
Co., of Findlay, Ohio and asked him ii
he would post it.
"Why don't you do it yourself? asked
Stone.
"Well. am going to lie down and may
slec,, too late was the reply.
."All right" said Stone, and took tie
pletter.
"Good bye said Church, liol'iin: ont
his hand as he stood at the door.
Mr.. Stone, thinking Milf. was only
joking, reached smilingly to shake hands
with him, brt Church in spoTtive man
| ner withdrew his hand and started along
the hall. Mr.. Stone followed him, and
Church kept telling him to 60 back, J:lt
laughing al the time.
After reaching the door Of room 20 (he
made mistake and went to the wrong
ROOM he opened. it and went in, refusing
to let Stone follow him (Stone supposed
it was only capriciors whim) slut the
door, and locked it. Mr.. Stone turned to
60 away, and as he did SO he heard
Church unlock the door again.
He returned to the hotel Office, and
when nearly there he heard the report
Of a pistol. Fearing that something had
happened, he requested Mr. Sklower to
accompany him, and they both fastened
to Church's room. On entering they
found Church lying across the bed, in
dying condition. He lived but few
moments. At his left hip lay revolver,
and in his RICH. temple was an ugly
wound. About the wound the hair was
powder burned, showing that when the
pistol was discharged it must have been
held near thu. bead. The bullet passed
through the head and lodged under the
scalp on the left side.
A coroncr's inquest was held, resulting
in verdict that Church came to his
death By the discharge Of pistol held in
his own hand.
Some time previous to leaving the store
Church went to desk and commenced
writing a letter. Pretty soon he stopped,
tore up the sheet of paper on which he
was writing, threw it under the desk, and
returned to the sales counter. After the
tragedy yesterday afternoon, Mr.. c. P.
Van Wart informs us that, remembering
the above circumstance, he went to the
desk and gathered up the fragments Of
the letter which the deceased had com
menced to write. After good deal of
trouble they were pasted together and
tIlc WIitluS plcSSu W DS tso iOllCNS.
DEAR DocToR:-I have dressed myself
for the burying, all except the overcoat.
If the bullet should fail to do its work
Here the letter ends abruptly, Church
evidently changing his mind about leav-
ing letter. The letter given to Mr..
Stone by Church is, we believe. still in
Mr.. Stones possession 1t has not been
opened but is supposed TO be entirely a
business communication.
The deceased has been in Helena for
about two years past and was held in
high esteem by all with whom he came
in contact. He came here from Findlav,
Ohio, and has two sisters-Mrs. Dr. Nor
lis and Mrs. l.. Kirkpatrick-and a
brother residing in Montana.