The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-08-19
POLICEMAN JACKsoN's SUICIDE
He Shoots Himself Through the
Heart and Dies Instantly.

He Shoots Himself Through the
Heart and Dies Instantly.
john Jackson. a colored man, who had
been in the police force for some time,
committed suicide at his house on Main
street, at Il 80 o'clock Sunday morning,
by shooting himself through the heart
with a revolver.
On Sunday morning jackson eabt reak-
fast with City Marshal George Turner,
and nothing strange was noticed in
his conduct, and he laughed and talked
Of the arrests he had made the night be-
fore, having run in ten DRINKS and dis
orderlies. from one of whom he took a
pistol. After breakfast, Jackson went
down to the Jail to look after the wants
Of the prisoners, and while there took
the pistol from his pocket and rubbed it
over the head of one of the prisoners,
and, on being admonished of the danger
OF the act, he laughed and replaced the
revolver in his pocket. On going home
from the jail, he was visited 10y several
Of his friends, who endeavOred to induce
him to go to church, bat he refused to 60
and bid them good bye. He then went
Ia his wife's room. who has been sick for
some time, and told her that he was go
ing to leave her, that the r'ggeIs here
were telling so many lies about him he
could have no peace when she replied
that if he wanted to 90 elsewhere
to live. she would sell her house and lot
and come to him He told her that he
did not mean to leave her in that way
He then walked into another room and
placed the pistol he took from the pris-
oner on a sewing machine, took out his
own pistol and laid down on bed, where
his wife went to him and iried to make
him give up the pistol, or put it away,
which he refused TO do, and said he in
tended to XIII himself with it. His wife
then sent for a neighbor, noted for her
religious zell. and asked her to talk to
her husband and endeavor to get the
pistol aMav from him; but he refused to
give the weapon to her, and on his reit-
Grating that he intended to kill himself
| with it. she remarked to him that. If he
| did, he would not have time to repent
and that he would go straight to hell, to
which he replied that he did not care,
that the stories told on him here caused
| him so much trouble he had as soon be
in hell as on earth. She struggled with
him awhile for the possession Of the pis-
| toll, but he held on to it and talked in
such a manner as to brighten her away,
when she returned to her own home, and
was soon sent for again by jackson S
wife, but they again failed to get the
pistol, which jackson held in his hand
cooked The neighbor again left the
house and Jackson's wife lay down on
her bed. Some children in the house got
hold Of the pistol lying on the sewing
machine, and accidentally discharged it
when she got up and took it from them
and again endeavOred TO get the pisto
from Jackson and again failing, She
started to leave the room, and just az
she reached the door jackson placed the
muzzle of the pistol to his left side anC
| fired the ball going through the hear
killing him instantly. as he never moved
after firing.
John Jackson has been on the polio
force here for abont four years. givinl
general satisfaction as an officer, and hi
quiet and respectful demeanor won 70
him the respect Of white and black. H
was about ~ yee of age. He wa
buried yesterday afternoon at 8 O'Clock