The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-26
SUICIDE.
]. S. SWEENEY SHOOTS HIMSELF
Great Peril His Wife Was In-EyidentIy
a Sudden Attack of Insanity-The
Coroner's Inquest.

About 2:3o o'clock yesterday afternoon
little Sidney Smith came rushing into
THE PALATKA News Office and stated
that man named Davis had shot HIM
self, down in the hammock.
After getting a supply of writing
material one of the scribes of The NEWS
started on hunt for the information.
Judge Vertrees was first seen, who
directed where the house could be found
in which the suicide was committed,
and in few minutes was on the
premises.
The name of the party was ]. S. Swee
ney, instead of Davis, and he lived in
one of Baldwin's cottages, on the east
side of Emmett street, between Dodge
and Kirkland streets, directly opposite
the residence of Dr. Carlos G. Smith.
Mr.. Sweeney was part owner of the
steamer Twilight, whose weird whistle
has several times startled the people of
this city, and he had only just returned
to Palatka about 10 o'clock on Friday
night from a trip up the Ocklawaha
River.
He was native of Mobile, Alabama,
has brother in Texas, also a sister and
mother in Atlanta, Ga, as well as broth
er-in-law there, who is the general man
ager of the telephone service in that city.
He was in comfortable circumstances,
and had no business troubles, and there
could be no motive for self destruction
in that direction.
III. A. Allen il uncle to Sweeneys wife,
and was a partner with him in the boat,
and boarded with them when in the
city.
Mr.. Sweeney was found lying on his
back, with his right hand grasping q
pistol and his left resting on his side. A
large hole in his head, in the corner of
his right eye, showed the cause of his
death and the place where the ball en-
tered.
A necktie was found lying across his
thighs, which could not be accounted
for and which puzzled the jury consid-
erabiy. His collar was buttoned, and
put tie on.
AT his feet was chair on which rested
a double barreled breech-loading shot
gun, thrown open at the breech as if for
loading, but its barrels were empty.
The pistol used was a Smith & Yves
son improved, SO caliber with pearl
handle and was very pretty revolver.
There was only one empty shell in the
cylinder, the one which did the fatal
work. The sight was CHASTITY one and
calculated to sicken any one to look at.
AT about IL o'clock yesterday Mr.. All
leu met Mr.. Sweeney and was told b.
Kim that he intended going to jackson
vile on the Sylvester. SO when ne came
home to dinner and did not find Mr..
Sweeney there he thought he would go
to the boat and see him off. The Twi-
light had gone to Jacksonville and he was
going there to meet his boat Sweeney
was not at the Sylvester, and Allen
started back home and while on the way
he was met by the Marshal and told that
Sweeney had shot himself.
Mr.. Allen stated that when Sweeney |
went home he found his wife reading a |
book and asked her some question. but |
she was so interested in the book she |
did not hear him or realize that she was |
spoken to until he being angered at get |
ting no reply snatched the book out of !
her hand and threw it across the room. |
This somewhat alarmed her, and on |
looking at him she noticed strange |
look in his eyes. He caught her by the |
hand and pulled her toward closet in
which he kept his gun, ard at the same
time asked her for his pistol. She told
him she did not know where it was. and
was very much frightened at his strange
conduct. She pulled away from him
and ran out in the back yard. He fol-
lowed her and she went on the front
piazza and sat down: he still followed
and caught her by the hand and dragged
her into the house and locked the door.
and then went toward the closet, again
and again asking for his pistol.
by this time she was thoroughly ter
riiled and making desperate effort, got
away again and ran out of the house
and started across the street. She went
over to DIR. Smiths to ask for help, and
was me-. at the gate by Miss Bernie
Smith. At this time pistol shot was
heard. 1t seems that Mr.. Sweeney was
troubled with heart disease and had be-
lore shown symptoms of deranged
mind, and had threatened to take his
life ON several occasions before, but they
Usually laughed at him and did not think
ae really meant it. 4
I ne pistol shot was said 10 have been J
heard between 80 and O'Clock. !
Mr.. Lott Allen, of Interlachen, acting I
y coroner, was telegraphed for and i
anne In on the o'clock train and at .