St. Paul daily globe., 1888-06-17
Capt. Reed, Late Warden Of
the Penitentiary, Shoot
Himself.
4 Bullet Sent Through His
Head While Temporarily
Insane.
His Mind Probably Unseated
by the Troubles at the
Penitentiary.
Living at Last Account, But
the Wound Is Believed
to Be Fatal.

What may be considered the tragic
finale of the political troubles at the
penitentiary at saltwater was cOnsum-
mated at Minneapolis yesterday when
Capt. }. 4. Reed, the ex-warden, placed
what cannot but be a fatal wound. 1t
was shortly after II o'clock yes
terday morning when a loud
shot rang through the Reed
residence on First avenue south, near
Thirty-second street. Miss Reed heard
it and ran up stairs to find her father
lying face downward on the bed uncon-
scious, with blood pouring from wound
in feither side of the head and gushing
from his mouth and nostrils. A heavy
revolver OF thirty-eight caliber lay on
the bed near his head and was
still smoking from the recent
shot. The daughter gave the
alarm and brought in neighbors, who
summoned DR.. George Kicker A hasty
examination showed the ball had entered
about the right ear, and. traversing the
head, emerged through the left cheek
an inch below the eye. The brain
was just missed, or death would
have been instantaneous. 1t is
believed the trigger of the
revolver worked very hard, and that
in pulling it, Capt. Reed depressed the
muZZle from the temple to the ear.
DR.. Kicker summoned other medical
aid, and all was done that
skill could dictate. At even
ing the sufferer regained consciousness,
but the steady loss of blood continued,
the fluid pouring down his throat to be
yomited up. At late hour DR.. Kicker
said his patient was resting, but that
everything was against recovery and
Capt. Reed would scarcely live until
morning,
Capt. Reed had only returned yester-
day morning from White Bear lake.
where he had purchased the Mahtomedi
hotel. His wife and son were there
until summoned home by news of the
catastrophe. Since his displacement as
warden of the penitentiary Capt.
Reed has been in the real
estate business, in the firm of
HotchkiSs & Reed, and had done fairly
well, but was without means to speak
of. Still he had been cheerful and in
good health, and it is believed he took
his life in an insane paroxysm.
The troubles and investigations
ut the penitentiary bore heavily
IN his mind, and his suit
against Warden Stordock had been very
.rying to him. He obtained a verdict
or 1000 against Stordock, in an action
or damages, only three days ago, and it
) believed the reaction, after the severe
mental strain, temporarily unsettled
lis reason.
There was universal expression of
sympathy about the city last night, and
an equally universal expression of bit
which is held to be the cause of his
death. 1t will be remembered that Gov.
McGill appointed HI. G. Stordock war
den of the prison, and the latter,
rs soon as his seat was warm. brought
about an investigation of Capt. Reeds
official conduct. Reed was eXonerated
by the investigation, and his friends
openly charged that the attack on
him was a political vindication
If the appointment of Stordock,
which had been bitterly opposed.
The McGill men, in the state conven-
ton, had promised to take care of
SeOiuoSh pollolSoi luluIcs dilU dS
Loren Fletcher had publicly made the
promise, the belief is general that he
influenced the governors appointment.
Capt. Reed was one of the pioneers of
Minnesota over thirty years ago, and
settled in Blue Earth county near Man.
kato, where he owned farm. Gov.
Davis made him warden of the
penitentiary, where he remained until
displaced by Stordock last year.
He was a gallant soldier of the
civil war and served throughout the
struggle. rising to the rank OF captain of
Company B. Fifth Iowa cavalry. He
was quite popular about the city and
state, and the news of his probable death
was received with every manifesto
ton of grief.