The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-12-19
Mcdonald, Of MarysvilIe, Tired of
Life, Sends a Ball Crashing
Through His Own Brain.
No Cause for the Act Known
but He Was Pressed by
Creditors


bull uOt revolver IN MS hNnu anu
blood clotted hole in his right temple eI-
plains the manner in which death came TO
John C. Mcdonald ut the Grand Central
hotel. No one knows when it happened,
though il is certain that the body had been
lfclcss many hours before it was found.
Decomposition had commenced when the
coroner arrived 10 take charge Of the case.
Mcdonald. who WIS Marysyille butcher,
camc to the hotel with Alec Erickson, of the
same town, at ) O'Clock Tuesday morning.
lie went Ga bed Immediately, arising short
ly after O'Clock During the morning he
WIS about the town on business and was
seen in company with friends at different
times Among them was Louis Il. kauf-
mnnn of the meat hrm Of Stadler and kauf-
mann, with whom Mr. Mcdonald
had transacted good deal
of business nc different times. Mr.. kauf-
mann Says that Mcdonald appeared low
spirited when he saw him, though he gave
nu intmatiun of the rash act that followed.
Mcdonald also went to the First National
lnnk where he did some business. The
last seen of him until found dead was at III
o'clock yesterday morning. His absence az
meals nj the hotel WIS unnoticed and the
finding of his body WAS the result of accl-
for him. II IL the business Of Arthur Mug
ford, the day porter ut the hotel 10 clean
the windows of the sleeping rooms. When
he went 30 this duty Yesterday morning he
found that McDunald's room. No. 20, on
the third loor, was locked and the key was
in the DUR. Thinking the occupant Of the
room WAS still asleep Mugford left
returning again in the afternoon. To
sntisly himself that all was right he
4
sec mans feet nj the end Of the bed,
which WIS close 10 the left wall, he con
cluded not to disturb the sleeper. AZ
o'clock last evening the chambeTmnid told
Mugford that she wished 10 enter the room
for some purpose. By means of pas key
/ he pushed the inner KEY out and unlocked
/ the door. lie had hardly entered the room
before the odor of decomposition told him
that something WIS wrong. In the dark.
ness Mugiord saw the outlines of mans
form stretched out on the bed. Suspecting
it was corpse. hc touched the hand of the
body and, finding II cold and lifcless, the
porter turned 10 90 down stairs. To fully
/ satisfy himself that he had made no mistake,
D, vent back Ia the Ioom and lii the gas. A
Z glance only WAS needed 10 show That there
had been n suicide in the room
/ The dead man. turned slightly in his
/ left sldo WIS resting at full length ON the
hole covered with clOiied blood. and in his
right hand was u bulldog revolver, with
one nnger grasping the trigger. His right
cnT was filled with blood and the face was
! dlsc0lored. The body. which was evidently
/ that Of man of about twenty eight years
old, mas dressed in u dark-oolured cont aud
yrst and dnrk, striped pants. His shoes
were on and he wore collar and necktie
| \ soft felt hat was un a table near by and
on n rack behind the door fur ov,rcoat
| was hanging. After hasty glance at the
corpse, Mngford ran down 10 the Office and
told what ho hod found. Coroner kockman
WIS immediately notified. lie secured
the following juryi j. G.. Som
m,iecrTllle' j., i; Smith. n. g.
and G. y, NanMart. Together with the
coroner aud Undertaken h. l.. Flaherty they
went 10 tue room for u preliminary examin-
alton. The first session did not last long.
When the undertaken turned the body over
mAhs of blood gushed from the nose and
ears. This was immediately followed by an
udor ~ AIckening ms 10 affect everyone in
the room; The jury and the few spectators
present rushed through the door and they
| did not return, An examination of the
dond mans clothing revealed n silver watch
and chain, an amethyst ring and q small
packet knife. In one of the coat pockets
was pockctbook continuing some papers
and money. In other pockets sums OF
money were found. making altogether
about $40. The corpse WIS removed TO
FlahcrtS X undertaking rooms, where an in
quest will 6e held at II O'clock this fore
noon.
While Mcdonald left no papers ind icat-
ing the reasons for the suicide IL is believed
10 hc the result Of pressure by creditors. II
Is known that hls property had recently
been attached by PARTIES in Heleua and
Mnrysyille. Mcdonald, who WIS an un-
married mnn, had resided in Marysville for
the past three or four years. He was thor
oughly temperate in his habits and had
the reputation of being an honest and
upright Young business man. lie had the
respect and esteem of n large number Of
friends who greatly deplore his sad death