Huntsville gazette., 1889-07-20
IN A PULLMAN CAR.

ire Decomposing Body of Night Yard
Master Adams, Of the st. Louis Union
Depot Company, Found in the Wash
Room of IA Temporarily Unused Pullman
Car with "a Bullet Hole in His Head
Suicide or Murder?
ST LOUIS July 15 "A horrible discoy-
cry was made in Pullman car at the
Union depot this morning. P. L. Garland,
a Pullman car employe, while walking
along the track near Eighteenth street
noticed horrible stencil, and on investi-
CATION found that it proceeded from the
palace-car Tellahola. The doors Of the
car were locked, but Mr.. Garland called
assistance and had them opened.
The smell drove the party back for a
moment but as soon as fresh air entered
they pursued their investigation. The
door OF the ladies' closet was found to be
stained with blood and locked Garland
broke in the door and was Mortified to
discover the badly decomposed body of
man. The corpse was in such a condi-
ton that it could not be examined for
marks Of violence and it was taken to the
morgue There pistol-shot wound was
found in the right temple.
The car has not been used since July 7,
when it was taken off the Chicago route
on the Chicago & Alton. The collar and
tie of the dead man were found on tie edge
of the wash basin in the toilet room. BY
their side was the collar button, all indi-
eating that deceased had taken them off
for the purpose OF washing himself. The
coat and vest Of the murdered man or
suicide were unbuttoned. In a pocket Of
the vest were found half dozen 39- caliber
cartridges, while in the coat pocket was
found pawn ticket for gold watch, is
sued from Walkers loan office in this
city. In another pocket was found a
postal sent by st. LOUIS Council Of the
American Knights Of Honor calling for
the payment Of an assessment. The card
was addressed to D. V. Adams.
The man was dressed in an alpaca coat
and vest and jeans pants. The body was
in half sitting, half reclining position.
Officer Heath was the first policeman to
hear Of the terrible tragedy, and it was
only few minutes before half a dozen
bluecoats were on hand. A thorough
search was made for the weapon that did
the killing, and pistol was found under
the seat covered with maggots.
A Pullman car pass-key was found in
one Of the pockets of the deceased. APP
parently indicating that he had obtained
the key, and on Thursday obtained en-
trance to the car for some special pur-
pose, possibly with q view of sleeping
there for the night.
Detectives Burke and Fitzgerald have
been busy working on the case all the
morning. The finding of the pistol, the
chambers of which were empty. would
pretty plainly indicate suicide were it not
for the blood stains on the outside Of tho
closet door. That is what puzzles the po-
lice, who are inclined to the theory Of
suicide.
Could Adams have sent bullet through
his brain while the door was open and
then have retained sufficient conscious
ness TO shut the door? The streaks Of
blood were plainly visible on the door
about five feet from the floor and seem to
have splashed there when tile shot was
fired.
Adams was single, forty years of age,
and was employed as night yardmaster
for the passenger department Of the
Union Depot Company. He lived with a
sister at Sutton, Mo. He frequently re-
sorted to the Lindell House, at Four
teenth and Poplar, where he was last seen
alive on Thursday night.
John WOLF, the bar tender Of the hotel,
states that he was on duty Thursday
night: that Adams was ''broke;" had been
drinking considerably, and tried to bor-
row eight dollars from him. he refused
to give it to him, and told him to go home,
whereupon Adams started for the depot.
The sister of Adams had stated to Wolf
while looking for her missing brother
that she feared he had made away with
himself.