St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-30
HE KILLED HIMSELF.
George Pownall of South Saltwater De-
Clared by Jury to Have Com
mitted Suicide.
Sensational Testimony or witnesses
as 10 tho Domestic Relations
of an Unhappy Family.
The Revolver Mystery--"They tought
Like Cats and DoSs"--A1s
Dying Words.

''George Pownall came to his death by
suicide was the verdict of the jury after
short elaboration last evening. Inc IN
uuest examination was held at the town
hall in South Saltwater yesterday after
noon by DR.. B. j. Merrill and the county
attorney. The examination began at :
o'clock and lasted the entire afternoon. Ira
W. Castle, the prosecuting attorney, APP
peared and assisted the coroner in the eN-
animation. The jury consisted of MesSrS.
William Chambers. Alex Mcdonald, Joseph
Perro. A. SecreSt, Peter Stenlund, David
Burke and Ambrose David, and the hall
was packed with a curiouS-looklng crowd
the entire afternoon.
Charles Gulett, the Frenchman residing
across the street from Pownall, who was
nrSt notified and carried Pownall into the
house together with Louis Blals, VINO
boards with him, was the first witness
sworn. Gulett is the head sawyer in Durant
g. Wheeler's mill, and while not educated,
appears to be bright and Intelligent. His
testimony occupied about an hour and was
rehash of his testimony exclusively pub
hshed in Yesterdays GLOBE. tie SAID:
kNo. never knew OF his carrying re-
golver before, and l never saw him Win
one. Yes, he often complained TO me OF
her being ugly and passionate. No, never
heard him saw it would be better Tor him 10
be dead than alive. 1 never heard his wife
threaten to kill him. She told me that they
aid not live together as man and wife should,
and fought like dogs and cats. No, never
knew OF her having revolver around the
house, or him either. Yes, DIR. Cooley was
there when George said "a woman did 1t.
Lois BlaiS was next sworn. He said: l
came here last New Years and have worked
in the woods since. 1 board with Mr.. Gulett
md was there when the little boy came
over after Mr.. Culett. I did not know
Pownan. After we brought him in the house
and placed him III bed, we asked him who
ourt him, and he said "a woman When
Ne went out we left his wife in the room
With him. Yes, she was alone, and there was
40 one in the house except George and the
children when we left. Yes, we examined
The pockets, when he w lying on his left
side on the bed, but did not
DISCOVER A REVOLVER
which we supposed might be in one OF them.
/ said to Gulett 1--WE had better examine his
pockets, rs he might have Il revolver in one
OF them and shoot US" but we could not find
one. Gulett and Mr.. Russell removed his
pants and threw them on the floor.
Dr. Cooley. who was summoned after Pow
nall had been shot, was next sworn. He tes-
titled to having resided in South Still
water for year. He said: arrived
about 10 O'Clock, and examined his
from his nose and mouth. No, / did not
make any examination of the clothing. He
we was in a scmi-cOnsciOus state, but could
recognize those around him only portion of
the time. At one time when he was trying to
talk his wife came in. Her preser &C stopped
him from talking, apparently. After she
went out heard hmm say u woman" This
we forced him TO say. lie did not appear
disposed 10 talk. No, he did not say that n
-"omGu Gid It." He simply said "a woman"
7 Is Was in response 10 our questioning.
Wien ] arrived he could or would not open
his irouUh. | was of the opinion that he did
EoC want to open his mouth. We tried 10
open his mouth VITA large spoon, but could
NOT DO il. l wanted 10 make an external eX-
animation in Ter 10 ascertain the extent
OF Es wound. / felt the pants where they
were taken of and thought they appeared
heavy.
John Russell, who has resided in South
Saltwater tor SIX months. was next examined.
lie said ne resided near POWnalPS house and
slightly acquainted with him. He did
moi know whether they mad Quarreled or not.
The first he beard Ct the shooting was about
10 OcOck. He Tvnt over 1 5 soon rs he heard
of the TRACED ana found hIm on the bed. He
remained about an hour, and I'D not hear
him say anything while in the house. He as
sisted Charley Guletl in taLilg his pants OF
and WAS there when Chapey took the re-
NOlVcr out OF the pocket. The woman was
in J,lC rCOlC when ii was found, and on seeing
il "a yail crying.
Stephen I."tieur. wro was next sworn. said:
u reside ncle and have known George Pow
ma, for o .lttol years. but never knew of
lin carr, ling ii revolver. l have worked
win hjm, Iut did not work with him in the
woods this winter. l saw bin on Friday
whpn he returned from the woods, and we
had Il long talk. He WAS perfectly sober
thea, and ,peared to be dispirited. This,
lie told me VAS OF his wifes account. and
complained about her. I boarded with Pow
EHi and never knew Of them having any
trouble. considered her (meaning Mrs.
Powuall),
4 HARD CASE,
and cid not have much 10 do with her
only bOarued with him two months. This was
laSI summer at ST. Peters boarding house,
hc,ore he moved his family over from ST.
PAU. When passed her on Inc street
spoke to her, but that YVES all -
The next witness sworn was Dr. p. II. MIL
LARD, who conducted the post morten exam
inatlOn on the body Of Pownail at his house.
together with DR.. Pratt. He SAID: I'VE
found the body without any external marks
OF violence. The revolver had evidently been
placed in the mouth and the bullet had en-
tered the back portion Of the mouth and
passed upward at an angie OF forty
i've degrees, traversing tho frontal
bone and entering the brain, traversinx
is about 1--WE inches. The tongue anu ROOF OF
The mouth were blown full OF powder and
badly turned. The lips were not burned. We
took Gu, several of his teeth and found that
they were not burned. There was discolor-
alton over the left eye, when was caused by
the bullet traversing the frontal bone. No it
is an unusual proceeding for man to put a
revolver in his pocket after taking his life
but not an impOSSibiity, all depending On the
rapidity OF the hemorrhage 1t is natural
coherent act TO put a revolver in the pocket
after Suiciding. A man receiving that kind
Of Ound would naturally drop. bu; it is
nor strange thing for him to get UP and
walk about afterwards. In all probability he
came TO his death from his own free will
There is every indication of suicide.
DR.. Pratt, who was called to see Pownall
on Sunday, was the next witness sworn. He
said that no arrived about noon, when he
was evidently dying and was unconscious,
with blood ooZing from the mouth and nose
He said DR.. Millard's explanation was cor
rec: in every particular, aud said that it
would be perfectly possible for q man to
shoot himself and put his revolver in his
pocket, even when unconscious. This he
thought would be natural consequences. He
said that PownaH ,must have voluntarily shot
himself.
The testimony these two physicians to
the effect that they believed Pownall had
committed suicide flattened
THE MURDER THEORY,
which, up till the time of their examina-
ton, looked reasonable. Previously all be-
lieved that Mrs. Pownall would be held. At
the conclusion of DR.. Pratt's testimony Mrs.
Louisa Pownall. the wife, was sworn and ex-
amined. She told very little not published in
yesterday S GLOBE. She stated that thew had
had eight children, that her husband was
cheerful at times, that he drank a great deal
that they bad had much trouble, that be
often complained of being unable to make
enough to 90 through the world. that he
often talked of putting himself out Of the
way, that after drinking he would always re-
gret IL, that he was not Respondent VIII en-
they retired at ll:30 Saturday night, that he
slept well, that he would not have got nm
30 early had the honsn not han,,