The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-11-15
JOHN M'GRANES SUICIDE.
The Well Known Hobcken Con-
tractor Kills Himself.

John McGrane, one of the best known
contractors of Hoboken, shot himself
through the head last evening in his
carpenter shop on Clinton street, in that
city, and died instantly.
jeremiah Conlin, one Of his benchmen,
came to the shop early this morning and
was surprised to see the door ajar.
Fearing that something was wrong he
entered the shop, and was hOrrined to see
the lifeless body of his employer lying on
the floor.
His back was against the work bench,
and long barreled revolver of the Colt
pattern was on the floor beside him.
Coroner O'Hara was at once notified
and the body was removed to McGrane's
home, No. 1856 Washington street.
A POPULAR MAN.
Mr.. McGrane was forty-six years of age
and had lived for over thirty years in the
city in which he died.
He enlisted as private in one of the
New Jersey cavalry regiments, and was
mustered out of service at the end of the
war with the rank of First Lieutenant
He then married and started as a jour
neyman carpenter, and proSpered so we'll
that he is currently reported to have been
worth $40, 900.
There were few better hearted or jollier
fellows than John McGrane, and it was
only few weeks ago that his friends be-
gan to notice his dependency.
He was devotedly attached to his wife,
and an accident which happened to one
of her eyes a short time since worried
him greatly.
"If you should lose your sight it would
drive me crazy" he often repeated to
her.
Another thing that added to his mental
anguish was the idea that had taken
possession of him, that his heart was
affected, and that his death was but a
question of a short time.
Mr.. McGrane had always been fond of
athletic sports, and was a crack shot.
The revolver that he shot himself with
he won at fair last year.
The dead man was very prominent in
political circles and his term as Commits
sioner of Assessment has just expired.
A PLEASING DRIVE.
Yesterday he invited his friend Mr..
Hammel, to go driving with him. They
visited Central Park, and McGrane
appeared to rally from his desDondency.
He drank one or two glasses of beer
and no more for he was a man of proven
bial temperance. When Mr.. Hammel
and himself reached Hoboken he bade his
friend good night" in pleasant voice,
and drove home.
He took supper with his wife and fam
lily, and about seven o'clock put on his
hat and coat and told his wife that he
was going out for a breath of fresh air.
Mrs McGrane mad been ordered by her
physician to take I'm opiate to deaden the
pain of her eye and enableaher to sleep.
She did not notiae her husbands alb
sence during the night until she was
walked by Conlin this morning with the
sad news of his death.
Mr.. McGrane's business was prospe r
Gus, his domestic life was happy, and his
friends eau assign no reason for his act
other than insanity,
INSANITY IN THE FAMILY.
Mr.. McGrane's uncle was OF one time q
Councilman of Union Hill. His sanity
had often been questioned He had at
tempted suicide twice and at the time of
his death last year was evidently not in
his right mind.
McGrane's preparations for his deed of
self murder weres most deliberate. He
removed his coat and, pushing a candle
out of the way, put the muzzle of his re-
volver between his teeth and pulled the
trigger.
Roundsman Hayes. of Hoboken, who
was lifelong friend of Mr.. McGrane,
met him yesterday morning and tried to
cheer him up, but with little success.
1T is no use" McGrane said. II can't
shake it off. 1t is getting the best of
me-