St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-16
A SUICIDAL EPIDEMIC.
Two Prominent and Well
Known Minneapolitans
Take Their Lives.
Col. Charles F. Hatch Puts
a Bullet in His
Brain.
P. E. Lockwood Lies Down to
Die at Lakewood Gene
terry.
Mental UnSoundness Probable
in Both Cases--Particu-
lars Of the Tragedies.

The first tragedy ever enacted in the
Boston block took place yesterday
morning, when Col. Charles F. Hatch,
president of the Wisconsin, Minnesota
& Pacific railway, the Watertown
branch of the Minneapolis & st. Louis
road, sent bullet crashing through his
head.
About 9 o'clock Col. Hatch reached
the Boston block and took the elevator
to 90 to his Office. AS he went up, the
elevator boy remarked: "It's a fine
day, Col. Hatch" Yes" replied that
gentleman, tits a fine morning to live,
but very poor one to die in" The
elevator attendant thought nothing
more of this until the report went out
that Col. Hatch had killed himself.
After reaching the seventh floor Col.
Hatch went directly to his Office in
Room 735, where he remained few
moments. He then went into the Office
of DR.. Mitchell, his brOther-in-law, and
asked if the morning mail had come.
DR.. Mitchell replied that it was in his
Col. Hatch's) desk. Col. Hatch walked
back to his office then and closed the
door. A few moments later DR.. Mitchell
heard him slam the cover of his desk
back, and in less than a minute later
came
THE REPORT OF A REVOLVER.
Dr.. Mitchell, accompanied by two or
three other gentlemen, ran to Col.
Hatch's room, and stopped agaSt at the
sight which was presented. Leaning
back in his chair sat Col. Hatch, with
new 32-caliber revolver in one hand and
blood pouring from his mouth and run
ming down on the floor, where it soon
MI
was thrown back, and he was gasping
for breath when the gentlemen who had
heard the shot reached the office, but
inside of two minutes the gasping
stopped and Col. Hatch lay before them
dead. The coroner was at once sum-
moned. He found that the unhappy
man had placed the muZZle of his re-
volver in his mouth and fired. sending
a bullet through the base of the brain,
tearing terrible hole. The bullet
lodged just under the skin at the back
of the head. AS it was evident that the
dead man had died by his own hand,
was necessary, and ordered the body
removed to the Judd house, 525 Fifth
street south, where Col. Hatch has
lived with his wife for some time.
Mrs. Hatch was at the Judd house
when the terrible news was broken to
her. She simply stared at her inform
ant at first, then her face became white
as the driven snow, and
SHE UTTERED ONE SCREAM.
Since then she has not spoken one
word, and sits gazing at photograph
of her dead husband. The blow is an
awful one to her. Her married life has
been more than happy in all respects.
There are no children.
Col Hatch was horn in Now York
state tifty-fOur years ago, and has held
numerous positions of honor and re-
sponSibllity. lie graduated at Union
college. in Schnectedy, n. Y, and from
there went into railroad life. He was
with the Lake Shore IL Michigan South
ern railroad as its first superintendent.
From there be went to Boston, where
he was connected with the Eastern ~
Maine Central road. Eleven years ago
Col. Hatch came TO Minneapolis as the
general manager of the st. Louis road.
For a time he was general Superin-
tendent of the Omaha road, which posi-
ton he left to take the one he held at
the time of his death. He had hundreds
of friends in the Northwest, where he
was well known.
1t was ntimated yesterday morning
after the sad news of the suicide of Col.
Hatch had been made public, that I'M
fortunate speculation had driven him to
the desperate deed This was denied
most emphatically by his friends and
intimateS, who assert their belief that
the unfortunate man was temporarily
insane from the effects of a long illness.
Two years ago Col. Hatch was thrown
from handcar or the Omaha road, and
was partially paralyzed in consequence
for long time after it. Three years
ago he was thrown from carriage, and
sustained injuries to his head and spine,
which again brought. on paralysis.
Since that time he has never been the
same man, and at times has acted in a
very nppuIiar manner