Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-29
DEATH BEFORE MADNESS.
Shooting Himsslr on the Eve OF Ills Mar
riaQe.
New York Ti-cs, 2sth.l


New York Tiscs, 2stA.l
well-dressed man Of thirty-fiye regis.
tered as d. +. Estes, Of Brooklyn, at the
nlahd Central Hotel at 3 O'Clock Saturday
afternoon, and was assigned TO Room
No. 55l, on the fourth floor. Shortly
dtsrward he left the hotel, and il
10 not known when he returned.
About 10 o'clock yesterday morning
a cLefnuermaid heard groanin, in his
room, and, getting on a chair, she looked
through the transom-window and saw him
IyiD2 on the bed fully dressed. A pillow
on which his head lay was bloody. Mr..
Sprague, the clerk, was notified and Inc en-
tered the room and discovered that the
guest had shot himself behind the right
ear. The revolver used was brand-new
pearl-handled fve-chambered weapon,
Smith Il Wesson make, sclf-cocking, thirty
two-cslbre, and Of the newest pattern.
Mr.. Estes appeared to be unconscious at
nrSt. but while Mr.. Spraglle was waiting
Tor the arrival Of an ambulance from ST.
Nincents Hospital he raised his hard and
mechanically twisted his mou,tache. A
Few seconds later he took out a gold watch.
opehed 1t with the thumb OF his right
hand, looked AZ tine fa"e, closed it. and re-
turned 1t 10 his pocket. Ambulance-Sur-
geon Kelly boupd up the wounded mans
head, and he was taken 20 the hospital.
When he arrived there he was uncon-
sclous, but DR.. Keane, the house surgeon,
in examining the wound. which penetrated
to the braln, discovered two splinters Of
bone. When he removed them Mr.. Estes
rapidly became sensible. and was able TO
say that his friends lived at No. u somh
Oxford street, Brooklyn. and that he
wished them 10 be summoned. lie was
also able 10 say that hc had tried TO
Kill himself because he suffered from q
mental and nervous disorder Of an epiIcp-
tic nature, which might end in incurable
insanity, and that he was interested in the
woodenware business OF +. Il. Estes &
Sons, Of No. $50 Pearl street. He was not
encouraged 10 talk. but was given stimuli
lhn'S and nOurishment and kept quiet.
In the early afternoon he gradually lapsed
into scmi-unconsciOusness and IN the
opinion OF Or. kcane his chances OF re-
coycry arc slight.
The Doctor said. in speaking Of the sui.
eide: 81 am certain Mr.. Estes must have
suffered terribly rom his troubles From
what ! can see he has had several sick
no>sc>, one oi which is epilepsy. lie IS IN
a very weak condition from The amount o.
medicine he has taken. re ms been ill
for nearly three years and has had any
number OF physicians attending him.
Mr.. Lstos'S act was evidently prcmed-
taicd, as on a table in his room were found
the following letters. written in bold
hand, ard addressed to llr. Z. b. Estes,
No. $50 Pearl street:
!.
nfar EofIpr and lfsfl.r. Eo-r,'va ,rn
for committing tbs rash deed. ! have suf-
fcred terribly. J can neither cat nor sleep.
Have lccn to see DR.. Hammond, but b,
gave igc little Encouragement, and I have
lc.t al hope. IOumsy think this cowarlly,
but ] Ccn bear this suffering no longer. /
desire that my property should be equally
divided smongmy own sisters and b-others.
Goodbye. FRANK.
Dear Minnie: Forgive me for bring
Ing so much trouble on you. | know
you would il you know what have
suffered. God only knows | have been
growing worse daily, and am completely
discouraged. Had it not been for your
love and the encouragement YOU have
given me / could not have kept up as long
aS | have. | cannot endure this suffering
long. Goodbye. FRANK.
At the hotel II was believed that Mr. E5-
tcs shot himseIftwo hours before the cham
bcrmaid heard him groan. No pistol shot
was heard by any one in the hotel. The
pistol appeared never to have been fired
before. and only one cartridge was empty.
1t Is supposed that he bought it when be
left the hotel Just after he registered his
name. From box Of cartridges found in
the room only five were missing.
The injured mans father. Elihu Il. Estes,
arrived at 81. VinccntS Hospital from Flat
bush, l.. l., where lie lives, shortly after )
O'Clock last evening. He is agray-bearded
man Of fine appearance, and his grief was
A telegram sent to his son,
Webster c. Estes, vt No. "A south oxford
street, had been forwarded to the father by
a neighbOr. who knew that the son was on
a vacation. Mr.. Estes nearly broke down
with grief when he saw his son, who had
gone from a condition OF semi-conscious-
meas shorty before O'Clock TO one Of fatal
Inconsistencies. Which forbade all hope %
recovery.
hr. Estes was 10th TO talk about family
but he told IIouSe-surgeon kclne
that his son had been aiing for a couple Of
years. Ills ilicEds believed he would mas
Ter his alment, and be was TO be married
his week. He was TO start to-day for the
home Of his bctrothed. lie had, however,
spells Of dependency, and while in this
he despaired Of getting well. The |
Dr. Hammond referred TO in his letter was
Dr.. Graham ". Hammond, Of No. 50 west f.
Forty-fiith street.
Young Estes had been boarding recently /
It No. y south oxford street. but his reg |
llar lodgings were IN Windsor terrace, a !
suburb Of Brooklyn. Occasionally he I
passed the night at fricnd's in this city. |
lie must have gone to the store in Pearl /
street saturday, after hiring the room ut 1
he Grand Central Hotel, a. Bis father saw |
lim there in the evening, and remarked 1
bat re was more changed than usual. 1
" ben his clothes were searched a gold |
watch and chain. thirty dollars, memo
and letters from his father
nd brother Webster, written to him while
m 4 recent visit to Vermont, were found.
n neither the letters nor the memoran-
Ium-book was any reference to his condl-
ion or his marriage engagement found.
rf.T 7 no - a p n