The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1885-09-12
PARK LETTER.

PARK LETTER.
| Further Details of John HOward's Atteinp-
ted Suicide.-Death by Lightning.
YANCY's STATION, NATIONAL PARK,
Sept. 9Th. 1885.-While at Henderson \
Klamer's hotel at Firehole yesterday
noon saw John Howard, the young
man who tried to commit suicide, start
ing for Mammoth Hot Springs on lit
ter supported by two mules and sur
rounded by military escort. DIR. Shan
non, of the army, who has attended him
and DIR. Robert Weir, a noted surgeon OF
New York, both think he will recover
but to the uneducated judgement OF
surgical practice it would seem great
triumph of natures recuperating power
aided by human skill if ever he does.
His father, Gen. Howard, says that
during war times when such wound
was received no attempt was made to
save the sufferer. He was considered
to be mortally wounded and given up
to death without more care than to al
leviate his sufferings littleif there was
not a press of hospital duty. But sur
gical skill has made great strides since
that time. Young Howard was being
taken to his home at Omaha.
/ talked with Gen. Howard in relation
to the circumstances attending the
wound received by his son-circumstan-
ces which have been given asensational
aspect through reports given to the
press. The general said he had not
thought proper to press his son for
full explanation of the facts; the young
man was suffering intensely or was
under the influence of soporifics to ally
pain so that ineligible conversation on
SO delicate subject was either impossi-
BILE or was likely to dangerously agitate
him. The general said that he, his son
James, Miss Chase, Of Omaha, and Mrs
Howard, the generals sister-ln-laW
came in by the southern route to the
Park. At Shoshone Lake they were
met by John Howard. John Howard
and Miss Chase had been betrothed
during about a year, though he is only
about nineteen years old. The two
Young Howards, John and James, had a
disagreement in which Miss Chase was
the subject but the general said that he
did not consider that the lady had be
haved in any coquettish way to cause
any feeling on the part of her affianced
The general supposed that the two
lovers had quarrel also, but its nature
or it's actual occurrence he knows moth
ing about. John was feeling badly ant
his father took him to task for his be-
havior. The report that his son tried tt
lump into Yellowstone Falls but was
restrained Gen. Howard says is untrue
At Firehole Basin on the evening Of
Tuesday, Aug. Goth, John Howard sepa
rated from the party and in few min
utes a shot was heard and when one OF
the ambulance drivers rushed to thu
spot the young man was found with tht
+ wound that has been described in tht
ENTERPRISE and smoking revolver
beside him. Gen. Howard says he i:
not prepared to say that his son attempt
ed to take his own life or that if he die
make such an attempt it was because
of any disappointment of his affections
or affair of the heart. At the same
r time he did not deny that such nigh
r have been the case His son, he says
: was young man Of good disposition
I and fine principles and those who know
, Gen. Howard will readily believe tha
his son was brought up in the knowl
edge that wilful attempt to take hi
own life was crime against the Coz
:, who gave it. James Howard and tn
i, ladies of the party left the Park imme
4 diately after the sad occurrence. Mis-
s Chase sent her betrothed several affect
! ing letters which were read to him b.
his father. The young man has Wante'
to recover from the first-a fact from
which his father argues that he coul'
not have wished to take his own life.
In addition to the above it may b
said that the man who first reache
Howard after he was shot says that h
y still held the revolver in his hand an
d ordered him (the driver) to stand ava
d as he did not wish to be interfered with
J. It is also told in the Park as fact tha
4 he showed disposition to jump int
il the Falls.
On Saturday last fatal accident OF
CURED at Yellowstone Lake. Fou
men were out in boat on the lak'
= One of them was Mr.. Renshaw, chic
o of the Geological Survey party. Ar
:. other was Mr.. Scott, an employe OF tn
Survey and a man who has been in thi
. country long while-at Livingston
Il Fort Ellis, Bozeman and in the Parl
e While on the Lake thunder stor1
r, came up and when the boat was abou
n 100 yards from the shore stroke c
o lightning shivered the mast and pars
n lived every man in the boat. Whe
4 Renshaw recovered consciousness tn
, boat had drifted ashore, Scott was lyin
, across his knees dead and the Other
were just beginning to show signs {
hof