Telegram-herald., 1889-05-31
CORONER'S INQUEST
Investigating the Cause Of the sal-
eide Of James Stlnps-
SUBJECT TO FITS OF DESPOsDEsCY
He va. Al Anarehist-sonns OF His ell
taw Anarchists sAs The iestt-
1a0ny of His Daagb ssss-ihe faae-
ral Viii Take Place Today.

Tie inquest on the suicide OF James
stinlps Was held al Coroner LOeher's
oftice Yesterday at o'clock p. IN.
The first witness Was James Mooney,
the police officer who had charge OF
the boiy until the coroner arrived. He
testified as 10 the position Of the body
when ne arrived on the scene.
Vim. lckler, whose father owns the
cooper shop where stimps worked,
swOre that stimps was good-Datured
man except when under the influence
of liquor, and then he was ugly.
StImps wes an anarchist, and was much
excited two years ago during the labor
agltatlOns. lie had heard sumps SAY
that he Was al anarchist, and lived up
To its doctrine a. near as he could. Mrs.
Sumps had told his folks that Mr..
Stmps and man name Weldman and
Il number of other coOpers had guns
and ammunition IN their house, and that
they met there and talked anarchism.
Weidman had worked short time
for his father IN the shop, but talked
anarchy 80 much that he was told that
he must work more and talk less or he
would be discharged. He left, and lex
Ter had not seen MN since.
Linnic Stimps was the next witness.
She testified that she last saw her father
alive at the breakfast table Wednesday
morning. She did not notice anything
particularly strange IN hls behavior, but
thought he did not eat as hearty ~
usual.
She remembered the names of four
only, OF the men who used TO meet at
their house. Their names were Post,
OBrlen, Weidman and Weist. We'd
man seemed 10 be the leader of the men.
stlmps got the gun about the time of the
labor agltatlons two years ago. He be
lOnged 10 the SchurtZen Nereln, and
claimed that he won the gun as prize
At one OF the meetings of the Vereln at
Werlich farm.
There had been some trouble in the
family last week about Mrs McDon-
aid, who was IN the habit of visiting at
their house, and with whom they asso-
ciated. Sumps did not want Mrs. Nc
Donald To come 10 the house. But he
did not want any one To come, and If
the mother went To the nearest store
he would follow her, claiming that she
was plotting against him. He had not
been drinking any since March, and
had been more kind to ms family than
usual. He threatened to kill his sister
some time ago, but nc was drunk when
he did it.
Ella Stimps testified that her father
was q very quiet man except when he
was drinking, but was gwen To fits of
IL Il. l...I
for two or three days and not speak to
one of the family, and when they would
take food to hls bed would refuse to
take it.
When she was child he attempted
to cut his throat with a razor. 1t was
about fourteen years ago. She did not
remember it. He kept a box III the
house and she and her mother and Sis
ter were not allowed To look into It,,
but they got his keys once and looked
into it and all they found was some
cartridges for the gun, an INSURANCE
| policy and some other papers. He
talked of anarchy good deaE b& only
when he was drunk. Twoyears aga he
tOokh gun, when he was drullk, and
said he wis going out and shoot fre first
rich man he met. He tried to stabLlnnie
| with knife last summer, when he was
drunk. He threatened the girls if they
staid out late at night.
She had not been INTO the closet since
Sunday. The clothes hanging there
were summer clothes and she was not
in the habit of gong there every day
| She did not know whether the gun wa:
| kept in the closet or not, and she did
not know when he loaded the gun. He
only took the gun out on the 4th OF
July. She was afraid of him when he
was drunk, and he frequently kept the
family up all night when he was drink
ing. She knew of no reason why ht
should Kill himself.
The jury was ont only long enough
10 Pot their verdict in writing. 1t wa
"that James Stimps came to his death
/ from a fatal gun shot fired 10y his owr
/ hands with suicidal intent"
The funeral viii take place at
o'clock today.