The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-01-15
SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

0GN0A UON06 SOsSs06s
Rev. II. u. Jardlne. Late Rector OF st.
lfary's Church ut l1ansas City, Kills Him.
self In the vestry Of . Church Mt st. Louis
His lIistory.
ST. LOUIS, January 11.-Quite . sensa-
ton was produced when late last night the
coroner announced that the Rev. II. d. Jar.
dine, who was some weeks ago convicted
before an ecclesiastical court at Kansas
City, had committed suicide here. It APP
pears that Mr.. Jardine, since his arrival
here some days ago to consult with his at
torney regarding his case, has been lodging
in the vestry room of Trinity Church, Of
which Father Belts is the rector. Satur-
day evening Mr.. Jardine and his attorney,
Mr.. Harrison, and Father Belts had pro-
longed conference in the vestry room, dur
ing which Mr.. Harrison very decidedly
expressed the opinion that Bishop Rob
ertsOn would not grant Mr.. jar
dine rebearing of his case. This
had some effect upon Mr.. Jardine, and
lie manifested considerable feeling. repeat
eddy declaring his innocence Of the charges
for which he had been tried and the justice
of his demand for a new trial. but when
Father Belts and Mr.. Harrison left, about
one o'clock yesterday morning. it was with
| out thought that Mr.. Jardine was seriously
disturbed. When Father Belts arrived at
the church early yesterday morning he
observed Mr.. JardiEe still in bed. but did
not disturb him. and went on with his early
services. Later, the sexton OF the church
went to the vestry room to wake Mr.. Jar
| dine and found him i'm q deep sleep and
breathing heavily. He Immediately called
Deacon Dyer, assistant to Father Belts,
who. on entering the room. detected chlOrO-
form and sent for physicians. On the
arrival of the doctors they discovered
| that Mr. Jardine had taken chlOrOfOrm and
Immediately adopted vigorous measures to
restore him, but after three hours cOntinu-
Gus effort, they were obliged to announce
that the reverend gentleman was dead.
The Coroner was notified. and after hearing
all obtainable testimony, verdict OF sui
eide by chiOrOfOrm was rendered. The
body was prepared for burial and now lies
in the vestry room. 1t will be taken to
Kansas City for interment. The fact of
the suicide was known to but few during
| the day and received no public announce
ment until the Coroner reported the case
late last night The case is likely to create
n great sensation in church circles.
THE NEWS AT KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, January 1.-THE
ccived i'm this city through n telegram sent
BY Mr.. JOhu Harrison, Mr.. Jardne's attor-
ney in ST. Louis, to Mr.. j. Edward Lewis,
one of Mr.. Jardine's vestrymen. q night
operator at the Western Union office. The
Telegram simply stated that Mr.. Jariine
died suddenly yesterday morning. and re-
ques,ed that the other members Of his YES
try be notified. The telegram was received
about seven o'clock last night, and the
news ut once spread through the city. A
meeting Of the vestry of st. MWy's parish
was held at the church yesterday after
noon, before the intelligence of Mr..
.Iar,line's death had been received,
presumably in anticipation of sen-
tence being pronounced upon Jardine by
Bishop Robertson. The vestry refused to
give any information regarding their pro-
ceedings. ST. Mary's Church last evening
was dark and silent To a reporter who
called the person that resided there de-
clined very brusquely to give any informa-
ton regarding Mr.. Jardine's demise, beyond
the mere fact that telegram announcing
his death had been received. AtAll Saints
hospital few members of the congregation
gathered and mingled their tears over the
sad news. They, however, declined to give
any information of which they were in pos
session. Members OF the vestry also re-
fused to talk. 1t is understood however.
that a committee Of the vestry will 90 to
st. Louis to-day. The reporter could not
Tab
place in this city or elsewhere.
HIS CAREER.
Mr. .Jardine's career in this city has been
written and rewritten dozen times. His
rectorship at ST. Mary's Church began
about six years ago and for a time there
were TO serious disturbances in the parish
and Mr.. Jardine was apparently satisrac-
tory to his parshiOners. Trouble began
during the summer of 1854, when Mr. Jar
dimes resignation was demanded by Messrs.
Sherlock and Shea, as well as other mem
bers of the vestry. 1t was generally un-
derstOod at that time that the resignation
was asked chiefly on account of certain rit-
ualiStic practices 10 which Mr.. Jardne was
addicted. Mr. JarlliDe declined to resign
and soon afterwards secured a majority in
the vestry which rendered his position safe.
Mr.. John Mcdonald was then elected a
member of the vestry through the efforts
of the minority, but his election was de-
clarcd to be illegal by Mr.. Jardine and
lie was disqualified. From that time on
Mr.. Jariine has figured prominently i'm the
newspapers. Charges against his moral
character were made by his opponents, aud
the Times, for publishing certain insinu-
atoms against Mr.. Jardine's character, was
sued for Libel, but the suit was subsequently
dismissed. In December. 1884, Bishop
Robertson appointed commission to in
vesiigate the charges against the rector Of
81. Mary's, but the commission did not con-
slider him liable tn presentment for trial.
Then Mr.. John Shea issued pamphlet
''rruth VS.. Jardine," in which he charged
Mr.. JardiEe with gross immOralities. Mr..
Shea was arrested and prosecuted for GRIM
inal libel, but was acquitted, the jury hold
ing that the charges made against Mr.. Jar
dine were sustained by evidence. In the
meantime the fact that Mr. Jardine had
served term in the Monroe peniten-
larry was published. This publication is
tho.ight To- have prejudiced his case in the
courts. Mr.. JaTdine resigned, bIt the ves-
try refused 10 accept his resignation. 1t was
about this time that his addiction to the
chlOr0form habit became known. In view
of all the charges made against him and the
fact that a jury hid refused to convict the
man who made them of libel, the other
Episcopal clergymen of tie city deemed it
their duty to present Mr.. Jardine for trial
before an ecclesiastical court. After a fouI
weeks session he was found guilty on
Wednesday, October Z. MI. Jariine APP
pealed his case to the Bishop. asking for
new trial. On January Bishop Robertson
rendered his decision. refusing the applica-
ton. Mr.. Jardine left this city for st.
I.onis that night and remained there until
the time of his death.
The following story is from New
York County. Pa: ..While Emori