St. Paul daily globe., 1886-09-10
A Half-Ho Before His Death He Gives
an Ante Mcrtem Statement of the
Shooting.
Until He Breathes His Last He Re.
tains Consciousness and Mem
tai Vigor.
His Wife Would Not Be Consoled-'
Mead in the Court--Degrees
of Murder.
Farnswortl is Dead.

hour before his death the wounded had
been told that his end was near The
declaration moved him somewhat but less
than had been feared, and during his ante
mortem statement and amid the farewells
of his wife and other loved ones he
was calm. The scene in the room where
the dying man was cannot be we'll 10
scribed. In their grief his wife and family
were frantic and would not be con-
soled. 'If he could have died
in any other way" she mOaned, Il
could have given him up, but to
be shot down like dog. 1t cannot be; it
cannot be-" and she refused to be COM
forted. So rapidly did the end draw near
that it was hardly half hour from the time
when the physicians and attorneys told him
he must die that he was dead. Through
all that time FarnSwOrth did not for a
moment lose consciousness. MOmentarily
he grew weaker and his face turned from
the somewhat saffron color that it had worn
during the last day of his life, to the faded
pallor of death. But his mind apparently
was alive. He said good-by to those about
him, and, the physicians say, was conscious
until his breath had gone. His wife was
bending over his bedside, and when death
had come she was taken away and others
tried to comfort her. while the body Of her
lifeless husband was being prepared for
coffin. No post mortem was held last
night, but one will be this morning.
HIS LAST DAY.
Farnsworth was reported as slightly i'm
proved yesterday morning. The physicians
discontinued the use Of opiates, which had
been given him since the shooting, and, in
consequence, he suffered considerable pain.
His wife arrived in the morn
ing train, and her presence
seemed to cheer him up wonderfully.
About noon Mrs. Meade and the wounded
mans sister met and an affecting scene re-
suited, both ladies sobbing and cry
ing during the short time they were
together. Shortly after 1 o'clock, DR.. Hoyt
reported Farhsworth as not so well. and
the chances of his recovery very uncer-
tain. At o'clock his condition was less
encouraging. he was vomiting almost con-
tinually and growing weaker. His brother
decided to have him make an ante
mortem statement. and messenger was
dispatched for County Attorney Egan
and at o'clock that official arrived at the
hotel. He informed DR.. Murphy and the
wounded mans brother that in order to
take the statement the patient must first be
informed that he was likely TO die, otherwise
it would be of little use in court. Ever
since the shooting occurred FarnswOrth had
been exceedingly anxious as to his condi-
ton, and had constantly inquired of the
physicians as to how he was getting on. Con-
sidering this and his extreme nervousness,
him to make any statement DR.. Murphy
hot in
dying within an hour. About o'clock
he began sinking, and at 10 O'Clock
E. S. Thompson, who had been deputiZed
by the county attorney. was called to take
the diving mans statement. Another con-
sultation was held and Farnsworths wife
and sister insisted that he should not be
told of his condition until the last
hope was gone AS the physician expressed
it to GLOBE reporter his relatives would
rather he would make no statement,
even if Meade should go free,
than to have to tell him he was
at deaths door, DR.. Hoyt at 1890 said he
was sinking rapidly and death would result
before morning. He was liable at any time
to sink into a comatose condition, and, of
course, an ante-mortem statement 0could
not then be taken. The ball, the physicians
said, had undoubtedly struck the liver.
which would account for his vomiting
freely. This, together with the condition
of his blood and his having Bright's disease
of the kidneys, told heavily against him.
THE ANTE MORTEM STATEMENT.
Judge Egan went to Duluth last evening
on business, but before leaving he wrote a
note authorizing. Attorney Edwin S.
Thompson, to represent him in case it was
deemed best for FarnswOrth to make an
ante-mortem statement. Mr.. Thompson
remained about the Merchants hotel during
the evening, as the wounded man was sink
ing, to be ready in case he was called upon.
Just before II o'clock the doctors con-
cluded that it was best to tell FarnswOrth
he could not recover. After this had been
done DR.. HOyt went down stairs after MI.
Thompson, and the latter took the dying
mans statement. FarnswOrth lay OH the
bed on his left side, and was very pale
He breathed very quickly and talked very
slowly and with apparent difficulty, paus-
ing good deal between the words. His
eyes had half-wild, half-vacant look
which increased with the exhaustion
resulting from the exertion of telling
the story. His statement was made in the
presence of his wife, his two sisters, his
brother, William Farnsworth, DR.. HOyt, D..
S. Thompson and a GLOBE reporter In
response to Mr.. Thompson's question he
said he expected to die and made this state
ment believing he would not live He
then told the story of the shooting briefly, be-
ing too weak to enter into too many de-
tails. 1t was reduced to writing by Dr..
Hoyt and was in substance as follows,
containing no points not already published:
HOW IT HAPPENED.
met Frank Meade in the lobby Of this
hotel. He held out his hand to me and told
him did not want to shake hands with him.
He then called me damned thief. l asked
him if had ever stolen from him, and he
said no. but that | was a thief. l did not
want any trouble and ran away, out OF the
hotel. About three-quarters of an hour aft
erwardS l came back and he met me near the
door. He told me had been back-carping
him and he would settle ii with me right there.
1 told him 1 did not know what back-capping
meant. He called me thief and a 49, and
drkw his revolver. I grabbed both his hands
and forced the revolver downward until op-
posite my abdomen, when it was discharged,
the bullet hitting me. was not armed and
never went armed.
The eXertion exhausted the dying man
completely, and Mr.. Thompson, desiring to
have him repeat the fact that he was aware
vi ulo COuulIlUu, udu W Wdll uIlull uO Weto
revived. Mr.. Thompson then again asked
him if he was aware of his present cond-
tion, and had to ask the question second
time, when he replied that he knew he was
about to die. and made the statement be-
lieving this.
MEADE IN COURT.
The case of Frank j. Meade was called
in the police court yesterday morning.
Gov. Davis. counsel for the prisoner, stated
that the defendant was ready for prelimi-
nary examination, but owing to Farms
worth's condition postponement would
be necessary. He asked the court
to fix the amount of bail and
set the examination at such date as could
be agreed upon. Judge Cory refused to fix
the amount of bail or to allow Meade to be
released. He had been informed that an
effort was to be made by the physicians to
remove the bullet, and until something de-
cisive as to Farnsworth's condition was
known. the hearing could be continued.
There was no complaint made,
and the case was continued until Saturday