The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-19
A SUNDAY SUICIDE.
w. II. Shipe Shoots Him.
self at the Saint
James Hotel.
40 CAUSE ASSIGNED FOR The
DEED.
Local News and Notes.

Yesterday evening about ten minutes
past o'clock Mr.. ". r. Shipe shot and
killed himself in his room AZ the 81 James
Hotel.
Shortly before the fatal event Mr..
Shipe was In the office Of the hotel in
conversation with friends and acQuant-
ances lie went upstairs to his room
No. 80 on the third floor front, and few
minutes later the sound Of a pistol was
heard proceeding therefrom, followed
Immediately hy three more
A colored chsmhermaid was the first to
reach the room. Immediately followed by
one Of the male door servants, who found
the body of Mr.. Shipe lying on the floor,
with the smoking pistol near his head
and between him and the door. which
was partially open, where II had fallen
when the suicide fell to the floor
Others in the hotel building heard the
shots-smong them Mrs Atkinson, the
proprietress Of the hotel She called to
some gentlemen in the office at the foot
cf the main staircase that a man up
stairs was shooting himself. Dir. G. w.
Campbell and Mr. +. ;. Rocke ran at
once to the room, aud, entering, foun'l
the shirt of the dying man on fire, and
they put ii out. The fire was caused by
one Of the shots.
Messengers were at once sent TO st.
Luke's Hospital, round on Governor
street, for physician, and Drs Nc
CURE and Hope quickly responded.
They did all in their power, but human
ability was Of no avail. The unfortunate
victim OF his own shots died in half an
hour
The Coroner was summoned, and Dr.
Taylor arrived by : o'clock. An eSami-
nation was made Of the body. There
was bullet hole on the right temple
where q bullet had entered and lodged in
the brain. The brain oozed out through
the hole. There were two marks on the
body, one on the right breast and one on
the lefl side Of the abdomen, whore bull
lets had struck blackening the skin but
not breaking IT, Where the fourth bull
lei won't diigent Efforts OF two physi-
clans and the reporter failed TO discover.
Death was caused by the bullet which
entered the brain.
The pistol used was cheap affair OF
tLigtY-tHO calibre.
u
box of cartridges from which five had
been taken. They fit the pistol. II had
iye chambers, and one bullet was left
in IT,
Mrs. Blsckman, a lady who occupied
the adjoining room, said that before tie
shots were heard, she heard Mr.. Shire
exclaming to himslf, "Oh God, on God"
Mr.. Shipe was a travelling salesman
for the firm Of Pollock x Freidenrick.
dealers n boots and shoes At No. 2O6
North Howard street, Baltimore, Md.
lie had a number Of times passed through
the city and stopped at the 81. James.
lie had been In Richmond three days
when he ended his life. During that time
he had been more or less dtinky While
gasping between the minute OF shooting
himself and dying he yomiied quite
quantity OF liquor.
The deceased was quite handsome
man apparently, about thirty or thirty
five years Of age. He was fully dressed
all but his hat vixen he placed the pistol
10 his temple lie wore business suit
OF dark cloth which was nearly new lie
gas clean shaved excepting that he
wore q heavy moustache Of dark brown
color
From what was learned last night he
was a native Of Lursy, Virginia, and re-
sided in Brooklyn, y. y.
Mr. Shipe's effects consisted OF his
samples, which were In regular com
mercial travellers trunk, hand satchel
containing necessary articles OF clothing
and 81 81 in money.
The body was turned over to Under
taker Christian by the coroner, who re-
moved the same 10 bis undertaking es-
tablishment .on Broad street below
Twelfth
A telegram was sent to the Baltimore
/ firm last night about o'clock, but at
midnight no response bad been received
at the hotel.
Late at night number Of Baltimore
gentlemen went to Mr. Christians place
to see the body They recognized Mr..
/ Shpe as an acquaintance. They were OF
opinion that his family. consisting OF a
wife and children. lived in Baltimore,
and they telegraphed last night to his
friends