Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-10-13
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

The following. taken from the San Fran
cisco Bulletin of last evening, will interest
many Sacramento readers:
Paschal Coggins, pioneer journalist Of
this city and Sacramento, and formerly q
member of the State Legislature from Sacra-
mento, shot himself in the head about 10
o'clock this morning in q forlorn little room
in the fourth story of the Lindell House,
corner of Sixth and Howard streets. The
report Of pistol shot at the time mentioned
alarmed the proprietor Of the house, who
was below in the Office, and running hastily
up stairs he found Coggins stretched on his
bed iu his room, motionless, with his right
hand at his side clinching four-shot revolt
yer, and with an ugly hole in his right temple,
from which the blood was oozing Assistance
was summoned, and among other persons
called was officer Tryon. who happened to be
in the vicinity OF the time. TIE wounded
man was conscious, and was recognized by
Tryon as an old newspaper man of the city
TIE only explanation he gave the officer of
his rash act was that he was respondent and
tired Of life Tryon did what he could
to stop the flow # blood, and placing the
injured man in an express wagon on mat
tFess had him driven rapidly to the Receiving
Hospital. Here ne was placed on 3 cot and
the wound examined by Police Surgeon
Dennis. The surgeons experienced eye
told him at once the shot was fatal
one. The ball entered the right TEN
pie and ranged inward and forward, lodging
probably under the frontal bone. DR.. Dennis
probed for about four inches, but did not sue.
coed in finding it. He thinks that possibly
it may have sunk into the brain, and consid-
ers death inevitable. Had the ball ranged
half an inch higher, death would have re-
suited instantly. Poor Coggins groaned
while the wound was being dressed but re-
tanned consciousness and spoke in short SEN
fences to newspaper men who called to see
him after being laid in one of thu cots. He
told all the same story, that he was despond-
ent and did not care to live, and thought he
had outlivsd his usefulness. He is about 60
years of age, and looks thin, pale, and care
worn.
Coggins, as mentioned, came to this State
in early days. and was for a long time
on TIE staff of the Sacramento Union. when
Anthony, Morrill, & Co. were the proprietors
Of that journal. He was q writer of ability
and an excellent public speaker. He repre-
sented Sacramento in the Assembly in 1873
and prior to that time published directory Of
Sacramento, which has always been regarded
os a standard work. He was known by his
associates as good news gatherer, and re-
naOAe III oil = i4Ian III Thought,
of ideas, and of prompt action. 10 1873 he
came to this city, and was a reporter or the
Bulletin for a few years. In 1873 he ran for
Congress from the Second District on the H.
dependent ticket vito John Bidwell for
Governor. He made a vigorous canvass,
but was defeated, owing, it is thought,
to the fact that he refused to make
certain concessions demanded by the people
Of his district. He left California at the
time Newton Booth went East to take
his seat In the Senate. he located in
Philadelphia, where he has q son who is
lawyer of some prominence. Soon after, he
again came West, stopping some time in Ne
braska, and later in Colorado. He came to
this city few weeks ago from Denver. and
has since met many of his former acquaint-
auces. He has recently contributed a num-
Der of articles to the Bulletin, and was in
vited to continue. 1t is thought that his
mind has been strained by constant work. In
accounting for his action, he said he had been
greatly disturbed by certain calumnies that
have recently been circulated about him.
In 1867 Coggins, associated with james
McClatchy, now of the Sacramento Bee, o.
3. Terrill of Bancroft & Co., 81. S. Dalliba
Of the Bulletin, and ex-senator Cornelius
Cole, started for the Fremont campaign the
Daily Times of Sacramento, the first Repub-
lican daily of tbs State. Ex-Governor Stan
ford, Charles Crocker, E. B. Crocker, G. ?.
Huntington and Mark Hopkins furnished the
capital for the venture. The journal had an
existence of only about two years.