The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-16
WITH A PISTOL SHOT.
w. A. Jennings Snuffs Out His
Own Brief Candle.
NokNowN CAUSE FOR THE DEED.
without . Word OF Warning. Amidst
Pleasant Business Relations, He
Commits the Irrctrcyable Deed.

About 1920 o'clock yesterday morning
W. A. Jennings, travelling salesman for
the Northwestern Cracker Company, CONF
mitted suicide by shooting himself through
the head while seated at desk in the
office Of the company, at the corner OF
Sixth and Pine streets. The shot, which
was fired from 3s-caliber Smith d. Wes-
son revolver. entered at the right temple,
passed out at the left temple and, striking
the front wall Of the room, rebounded to
the floor After firing the shot Jennings.
tumbled from his chair to the floor with a
groap, but never showed any signs OF con-
seriousness. He was taken to Providence
hospital, where he fingered in a stupor I'M
til death came shortly before O'Clock in
the afternoon.
In the dead mans clothes were found
his watch, small amount of money and q
few other unimportant articles. There was
also letter addressed to his wife, but 1t
was not in his handwriting. Nothing was
left to show any reason for his rash act.
At the time that Jennings fired the fatal
shot there were three other persons in the
room. They were George w. Vining, man
ager, and Simeon J. Toby, bookkeeper, OF
the Northwestern Cracker Company, and
]. Wintermute, customer.
Mr. Vining told the following account OF
the affair to q OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES re-
porter:
Jennings came into the Office about
O'Clock and said he was going down town,
but would be back before q great while.
About half-past 10 he walked in without
saying anything and sat down at the desk
i'm the rear of the Office with his elbows on
the desk and his chin resting on his hands.
| was sitting at the stove with my back
to him, but so close that when tipped my
chair back it touched his. Probably
minute after he sat down / suddenly
thought of some business and rose to go to
the telephone. Just as l got on my feet |
heard the report of the pistol, and turned
to see Jennings slip off his chair onto the
floor with blood gushing from a hole in
his head. have no idea of the cause of
the suicide. So far as / know jennings
habits are good and he always seemed in a
good humor. On Friday he had just re-
turned from Whatcom and other points
where he had made good sales. He was in
fine spirits and danced jig while i'll the
office''
Mr.. Toby, the bookkecper, said: 81 was
at my desk next the door making out bill
for customer when Jennings came in.
He had a strange look on his face and
made no reply when spoke to him. He
walked back to the other desk, as ] sup
posed to write some letters. / glanced back
at him and saw that he had his elbows on
the desk. He had one side of his coat
pulled up SO as to conceal the left side of
his face which was towards me. Almost
Immediately came the shot. He must
have taken the pistol from his inside coat
pocket"
j. Wintermute, who was in the Office at
the time of the suicide, was seen at his
store, corner of Sixth and Pike streets, by
a PosT-lNTELLIGENCER reporter. He said
~ was standing at the desk talking to Mr.
Toby when the shot came. The bullet
whizzed close by in front of my face and
fell to the floor after, striking the wall. A
small piece of hone from Jennings
skull fell on the desk directly in front of
me, where the force of the bullet had
thrown it. / had no idea anything was
wrong until the shot was fired"
Postmaster A. NJ. Brookes, who is presi-
dent of the Northwestern Cracker Com
pany, was greatly affected by the news of
the death of Jennings, whom he has known
Mr.. Brookes said: Il was greatly sur
prised and shocked at the news. Jennings
was in the postoffice about $50 O'Clock
and noticed nothing unusual in his man
ucT. Sstlu lie WdutSu 10 see Tue dDOuC
business connected with the company,
and being busy then told him would
meet him at the Office at II O'Clock. About
1890 was astonished to receive by tele-
phone the news of the suicide. | can
think of no possible reason for it."
w. A. Jennings was 10 years of age and
native of New York state. When very
young he came west to California and
from there went to Port Madison, where
he was in business for several years.
About sixteen years ago he came to Seattle
and has been q resident ever since. For
some time he was in the grocery business,
but about six or seven years ago went on
the road. For the past four years he has
been travelling for the Northwestern
Cracker Company. Mr.. Jennings was
a man of fine business qualifications
and was well and favorably known all
over the Northwest. He was also a rather
familiar figure in political circles, and sew
eral years ago ran for mayor on the Re-
publican ticket. As far as known his
habits were good, and the officials of the
cracker company claim that he was iii
volved in no financial trouble with them.
Mr.. Jennings leaves wife, but no
children. He also has father and
brother in California. He had but re-
Gently built house in Renton addition,
and only last week moved into it.
Mr.. Jennings was a Mason, and will
nrnho hlv no brlripd nv tho ar,iar