The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-07-17
HERE'S yous NEWS.
L. 7. Flippo., Late Of Christian Co.,
Commits Suicide in Louisville.
y. Police Items, Etc.

Lynton, I. Flippo, formerly a citi'
zen of Sinking Fork, in this county,
blew out his brains with pistol, in
the Fifth Avenue Hotel, at Louisville,
on tho morning of the 18th inst. The
following account of the affair is ia
ken from the Commercial, of Thurs
day: 49,. T k-
yesterday morning about half
past eight o'clock, John Groves, one
ofthe colorcd walters at the hotel
went up to Flippo's room to get his
order for breakfast. He knocked at
the door but there was no response,
and he pushed the door open. A hor-
riblc sight met his gaze. Stretched
out at full length on the floor lay
poor Flippo, his head wcltering in a
pool of blood. A CHASTITY wound in
the right temple, and q revolver with
one empty.chamber lying by his side,
told plainly ofhow he had come to
his DEATH After recovering from
the shock produced by. the horrible
sight, Groves rushed down stairs and
informed Henry Balm, the head wal
ter, who in turn told Mr.. Duffy of
Flippo's suicide. Mr.. Duffy hurried
10 the room where the tragedy had
occurred, and found that although
the body was still warm, life was cx-
tinct. Coroner Miller was sent for,
and upon his arrival an examination
of the room and surroundings was
made. On the bed sheet was found
la dark ring made by the powder on
the muzzle of the pistol. This showed
that Hippo was sitting on the side of
the bed when he fired the fatal shot.
lie must have retained his clutch on
the weapon after firing and threw his
hand down straight, thus causing the
muzzle ofthe pistol to come IN con-
tact with the sheet and making the
black mark. As he fell back on the
floor he Strengthened out at full
length and the pistol dropped from
his hand. He had ON his under
clothes and white shirt at the time,
but nota drop of blood was found on
his clothes, showing that he died
without struggle and that death
must have been instantaneous.
On the bureau in the room was
found an envelope addressed to
$3.50 Wv. S. Flippo,
Flippo's,
Caroline Co.,
Deliver Immediately. Va
Along side of it lay a thrce-cent
postage stamp.
The envelope was opened by the
coroner, and it contained the follow
ing letter:
sPA: For Gods sake send me 20
dollars to Louisville, KY, care Com
mercial Office to come home on, and
let ii get here IN 4S hours, if possible,
as You save my life. Send it, and
right away. expect I can save some
OF it. i'll get there l eau explain,
and ! will try to get there If the mon
ey comes In time. Your SoN.
Mail at Howlett's in time to catch
the 8 o'clock train"
Scattered over the room were frag-
mcnts of torn manuscript. The fire
place was filed with letters torn into
thousands Of pieces. Near his bed
fragments oftwo letters were found.
These were pasted together aud
found 10 read as follows. They had
evidently been written at the same
time, or just before the letter found
on the bureau:
DIR. Owens: Please put a rope
around my trunk and send II by
freight Wednesday to Nort0nsville.
viii meet II there the next day and
bring 1t up. Yours,
| .......,-. l.. I. FLIPPo.
The other letter read as follows:
PA--FOr Gods sake, no matter
or where you get il, send me $50 to
get home on. 1t is a natter of more
than life or death to me. and IL you
do not respond Immediately my
death, imprisonment or something Of
the kind may follow. Send the mon
ey with the envelope addressed to FL
lott Wright Sinking Fork, Ky,with
the letter headed to me, and let it get
there just as quick as possible, and l
will come toyou. YoUR Son.
The following letter inclosed in an
enyelope and addressed to his father,
was found in his valise, 1t having
never been mailed:
LOUISVILLE, KY, June 20, 1883.
My Dear Father. oSst
| Iprcsume that you received my
letter all In good time. Well, my
health is good, and l am now Oh tho
staff, of the second metropolitan
journal in the South, and doing we'll
again, though different to what
once did. Still my chances for fame
are better than ever, although fol
money am not doing SO well-get.
tting only $l5 per week, which l con.
slider small wages, but I hope to be
raised to $40 or 1916 soon if can keep
my position for a few weeks. / am
fat and hearty; you never saw me SC
fat in your life i am sure. l stayed
with aunty aPcouple of weeks mot
long since and recruited very much
I hated to leave my sweetheart IN
Princeton very much, but hope ! will
soon SO far forget her as to find ano-
Their just as sweet in Louisville or Pa.
ducah, where l am rather expecting
to go soon. My best love to all and
write soon to your aflectionate son
| So. /