The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-08-25
SELF-DESTRUCTION.
The Jury Return q Verdict of
Suicide.
The Inquest Divulges Very
Contradictory Testimony.
The Victim is Buried But
Again Disinterred.
His Brother Telegrephs that He ia
Coming.


About the sole topic of conversation Sun.
day and yesterday was the rem Al kable trag.
edy Saturday night at the Atlantic house.
Men and even women gathered 10 groups
and discus ed the matter, while thousand
rumors circulated in all directions. At
am. Jury was summoned and ia company
with Dr. Overstreet proceeded to view the
body, after which they repaired to the cor
ener's Office and began the examination Of
witnesses, but 80 dense was the crowd that
began to flock In that the inquest, after the
taking Of the testimony of one witness, A,
T. Rollins, adjourned to the circuit court
rooms, where the greater part of the day
was consumed in the examination. A very
large number of people cOngregaled TO lis
ten to the evidence, but an equally large
number hung about the undertaker's estab-
isbment where the body lay in all its ghsst-
illness, nothing whstever having been done
toward cleaning it or 10 any way rendering
it more preeentable. Following is the pro-
osedipg OF the inquesl in full;
THE TESTIMONY.
A. T. Rollins-This man came TO my
house Friday night about or 9 o'clock.
He had big, heavy sstchel in his hand
and wanted to stay all night, asked my
terms and / invited him into the house.
He registered as "Toggenbereer, Button,
Ohio, bed and breakfast" He acted
very curious and strange. He got up Satur-
day morning and ate his breakfast and
paid his bill. He sat around the yard all
day. did not miss him from the place.
At dinner time asked him TO dinner, he
seemed not TO care, but went into the house
and eat his dinner. He came out and
paid me quarter. At supper time / asked
him In to supper. He. went in and got bis
supper. This was about 5:l5. He ate al
most nothing He paid me for his supper
without saying q word. He went back into
the front yard and sat there as usual. At
Ter supper was over he came around 10 the
dining room door and asked him what he
wanted. / understood that be wanted
water. ] handed him glass. He went to
the pump and drew some water. In few
moments he returned the glass and turned
away. ! started down to the train with
some guests. AS went to the train / met
three of my boarders. / told them supper
was ready. They went on to the house and
eat their supper.
WAS AT THE DEPOT
platform FIVE or ten minutes, when saw
two Of these men whom met going 10 sup
per, coming On the run. / walked back TO
the house as fast as could. The police
mason and Payne were in the room; l
crowded into the room there was as many
as twenty persons standing around; when
] got into the room he was laying length
wise on the bed, with his face partly con-
cealed, lying in pool of blood the hstchet
was lying near his side; his right hand
was at his mouth; he was still alive and
was breathing with. difficulty; he lived
about FIVE minutes after got into the
room Mrs. Harris room joins his room
she wss the first to discover him; he was
In Mrs. Harris room; when l went to the
train ! left Mrs. Harris and the colored
cook and my crippled daughter and man
by the name of Burrs and an unknown
bosrder, who slept in the room with Tog-
genbeIger, my wife and two daughters were
Just returning from buggy ride with two
men these men had been at my house
about two weeks; Mrs. Harris came from
Clinton three or four days ago; the hatchet
lying on the floor belonged to me; it gen.
orally lay on the we'll curb.
Cross examineb-The diagram in the |
rooms and size of rooms the reason went
home was because ! saw the two men run |
Gown to Officers Mason and Payne and the |
four run back toward the house.
HANNAH HALEY.
! live at Rollins. The first time noticed |
this man ] went around to the front yard |
and asked him if he wanted something to |
eat he said he reckoned he did He came |
in and ate his supper. After he went back
In the yard went out and asked him If he
was sick asked him why he didn't 60 |
'nto his room and lie down; be did not |
make any answer. / did not see him any.
more until Mrs. Harris told me there was
some one lying in her room on her bed,
throwing up. This was about $50 p. No. |
went around where / could see him, and |
recognized the same man had been talk |
ing TO In the front yard. Mrs. Harris had
not been in the house,
MRS. HARRIS.
! live at Clinton, Mo. / came to Mr..
Rollins one week ago to night. Yesterday
evening Mrs. Rollins left me to wait on the
table while she went buggy.riding. This
gentleman came In and ate his supper be.
iween and 6 O'Clock; he did not eat
much he drank cup of tea and ate a
biscuit i bout ten or fifteen minutes after
he ate his supper, / saw him at the well
he called for glass; Mr.. Rollins gave him
3 glass; he got drink and
HANDED THE GLASS BACK
to Mr. Rollins. Mrs. Rollins and the
girls returned from riding at this time.
One OF the gnls wore my hat. l took my
hat to take it to my. room. As l opened
The screen door of the kitchen L saw
through the open door of my bed room a
man lying On my bed. acting like he was
up. went around and told Mrs.
III. there was man in my room and said
for her to call Mr.. Il. She said let us 60
and see who it is. We got little ways
from the kitchen door we saw there was
hlood or, the nillnx Nc both Scraannod and