The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-06
SHOT HIMSELF.
MR. W. n. TAlMAN SEVERELY
WOUNDED.

4 Pistol Ball Fired by His Own Han'
Enters the Breast just Above the
Hcart->ot Necessarily Tatal--He CIaim'
II wa. Accidental.
Very few Of our business people fail
TO remember Mr.. W. III. Talman.
He for number Of years has been 2
welI-known figure at the City Hall
During the last years u the incumben
cy Of Aylett r. Woodson. late City Col.
lector. Mr.. Talman held a confidential
and responsible position in that Office.
When Mr.. WoOdsOn died and Captain
Frank w Cunningham was elected City
Collector, Mr.. Talman was offered,
and he accepted. clsrkship IN the
Office of Mr. Charles W. Goddin. Clerk
of the Chancery Court. Mr.. Talman
wrote well. and was thoroughly equip
ped for the discharge OF the duties de.
volving upon him. He was favOrably
known throughout the city, and had
many close friends.
Yesterday morning he came down to
the clerk 5 Office and entered upon bis
duties with accustomed promptne,s
No one who saw him at that time would
have imagined that be would have had
a pistol ball in him. before night.
But such is the fact.
At the usual hour he left the clerk 5
Office and paid a visit TO a sick friend.
He then came home. His wife did not
notice anything UNUSUAL in his manner
when he came in. He lives at 81 I north
Tenth street. and soon after reachin.
home he went upstairs to his chamber.
Shortly afterwards Mrs. Talman heard
something which sounded like the ex-
plosion of a pistol.
SHOT II HIS ROOM.
She proceeded at once to investigate.
and upon opening the door TO the room
she saw her husband with bullet hole
in his breast. the rich red blood yelling
up. and a Smith & NELSON'S Seal
bre pistol lying on the floor.
The n0ighbOrhOOd was quickly
aroused by the distressing cries that
came from the residence, and medical
aid was soon at hand. One Of the first
persons TO reach the wounded man was
a neighbor, and to him Mr.. Talman
said 1t was an accident. Dr..
Robertson made an examination Of the
wound. 1t Yves found that the bullet
had entered the left breast. passed above
the heart. had passed through one of
the lungs and lodged near the region Of
the spine.
The doctor thinks the wound very Sc
rious. but not necessarily fatal. The
pistol used was perfect one In all re.
spects save one. IL was self-acting, but
could be used by the old method as
well, and TINES reporter. in examin-
ing it. found that when the hammer was
pulled back it failed to catch unless
heavy force was brought TO bear, Mr..
Talman it was said was loading the pts
tot, and contemplated using It, or tax
ing it with him for use last night. In
handling il be may have acc .dentally
discharged il. ana the serious cOnse-
quence followed.
A large crowd of people congregated
and were anxious to hear all the par
ticulars Of the case, but the above is
about all that can be stated.
Later last night Mr.. Talman was rest
ing quietly. and none Of his symptoms
indicated that his hurt was fatal.
The news of the shooting caused con-
siderable comment around the City
Hall, where Mr. Ialman is so well
known. HIS father ard mother are
both living, and this blow Will fall
heavily on them, as well as upon his
wife.