The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-01-15
A SOLDIER SUICIDES.
Sergeant Edward Howard Shoots
Himself in the Heart
WITH A CAVALRY CARBINE
In His Room at tho Recruiting Sta,
tlon Here-sad Ending of a Spree,
An IngIoFlous Death After
Twelve Years Service,

Sergeant Edward Howard, U. S, A.
one Of the recruiting squad stationed
here under Capt, Allen Smith, was dis
covered dead, with a horrible gapiuggun
shot wound in his left breast, in his room
at the recruiting station on Market
street, next door to the German bank,
shortly before 0 o'clock last evening,
1t is not known positively whether it
was suicidal or accidental death, but
the general supposItlon is that 1t was a
case OF suicide, and Coroner schultze,
who was called In, gave that us the cause
in his certificate Of death,
The shooting must have occurred ut
an early hour yesterday morning when
every one at the station WIS asleep, for
no one is known TO have heard the re-,
port, and tue body was cold and stiff
when found. The last time the sergeant
was seen alive was shortly after O'Clock
yesterday morning, when he passed
through ono Of the sleeping rooms OG-
Cupied by the privates and rScruits, and
Weakened recruit by the noise he made
in SO doing, No words passed between
the two, but the recruit noticed
by the actions of the sergeant that
he was considerable under the
influence Of liquor, He passed through
the office Tooui to his own private quar-.
tiers, a small hall room fronting on Mar.
ket street, closed the door and then all
became quiet and the recruit went to
sleep again, Howard was known to be
drinking some Saturday night by the
men belonging TO his detail, and one Of
them saw him about o'clock Sunday
night In a perceptibly intoxicated Condi.
ton. Tnat same soldier was on duty
yesterday morning, and endeaVored TO
rouse the sergeant by pounding on his
door. Failing In this he reported tue
matter to Captain Smith, and was or.
dered by him TO let the man remain
where he was till he had sobered up.
About half past five o'clock last even.
ing this same soldier again endeavOred
TO awaken his conrade. He pounded
loudly on his door and called to him,
but got no response. Thinking 1t
strange that he received no answer and
wondering why he slept so long, he was
about to burst open tho door when one
Of the squad suggested that they enter
his room through the front window by
means Of Il ladder. This was done, and II
ghastly sight greeted their eyes US they
looked into the little room. On the
floor beside the iron camp bed, lay
Howard, face dOwnwards, in u big
pool OF thick blood. The GOV.
eriugs on the bed were tumbled
and partially soaked with blood, and on
the bed there lay regulation IS callbre
cavalry carbinO. The dead mans uni.
form hung on chair, He had on q
white undershirt and pair OF civilians
pants, part OF which were soaked in the
blood that had gushed in torrents from
that awful hole In his beast. He
was probably lying or sitting on his bed
when he shot himself, and rolled off af.
forwards. AS stated, his limbs were
stiff and body cold when he was found.
Word was at once sent to Captain
Smith and on his arrival Coroner
Schultze was sent for. Drs. Wilson and
Reed, the county and Cltv pliysicians,
we're also sent for and responded to the
call but oil course could do nothing.
The remains were turned over to the
undertaking establishment OF Mendel &
Co. to be prepared for burial, and Cap.
tain Smith had dispatches sent to Mrs
Florence s. slgaioose ut Taylorsville,
Pa, who Is understood to be the ser.
geant's sister, notifying her ofhis death.
The deceased was q man about 80 years
old, and had been In the service for
about twelve years. He was serving his
third term Of enlistment, which had
about expired, he having enlisted at
Chicago three and onc.half years ago.
When he was discharged at the end Of
his second term lie held the position Of
SerSeant-Maior in tho Sixth Cavalry
regiment. When he re.enlisted he was
made Sergeant In the cavalry
branch, unattached aud detailed on re-
cruiting service, which Is one OF the
easiest duties tLat falls TO u soldier. He
Is sud to have originally come from
Frenchtown, N. j. He was good
looking soldier, and his jaunty air has
often made him an object OF interest as
he passed along the streets or stood in
front Of the station, dressed in his neat
yellow striped uniform.
He was a man who had acquired
good education and was practically Cap.
tain Smiths clerk, attending to much OF
his correspondence and about all the
routine work OF the station. He was
ouite n iayorite OF Captain Smiths and
that officer was inexpressibly shocked
over his sad ending. He said that while
Howard had some few faults his good
qualities were so many and he was such
IN excellent soldier generally, that his
few faults could be readily overlooked.
He was not an habitual drinker, but
would occasionally get off on spree.
The lust time he Is known to have drank
anything was In August last. The other
soldiers at the station were much shock
ed over Towards untimely end.