The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-29
A WOULD-BE SUICIDE
Isaac Bergman of Chicago. Shoots
Himself Five Times.
HE WILL PROBABLY RECOVER.
He Was the Republican Boss Of Wyoming
Cause OF the Trouble-Idaho Com
mercial Convention.

CHEYENNE, Wyo., Nov. 2s.-TSpecial
telegram to THE HERALD Isaac Bergman,
for ten years county treasurer and probate
Judge, prominent Mason, a pioneer and
owner of range cattle, made most deter
mined attempt to kill himself in his Office
this morning. He locked the doors and
fired at his head five times. Four shots
were from pocket pistol of heavy calibre
and the last from regulation six-shooter.
The fourth bullet made a slight flesh
wound, the fifth one, intended as were
the others for the right temple,
passed just behind both eyes binding
the man forever. Instantly the doors were
forced and the man lifted from puddle of
blood He asked to have the blood washed
from his eyes, not knowing that he had
destroyed his sight The man didn't loose
consciousness. He said he wished the job
had been perfect one. He called for his
wife and summoned his bondsmen
TO say that his accounts We're
all right and this statement is
accepted as correct by everybody
Bergman has been here twenty-three
years and has had a remarkable career
He was first cook in a railway grade
camp. then clothing clerk and for ten
years a postmaster who with the field and
opportunities was the equal of John Kelly
or Boss Buckler. He had finger in every
Republican pie and controlled consider
able independent element. He was elected
to the best paying office in the county five
times and for there terms of two years
each was city treasurer. This latter office
brought him trouble for he refused
TO give up and was ousted in 1885,
The constitution of the new state of Wy
3ming abolished his Office of probate Judge.
out he claimed it up to the end of the term
fought to the supreme court and was to
have turned over the records to day
Wednesday he said the books would only
'e secured from him over his dead body.
nut Thursday he told a friend he intended
telinquishing both offices.
His wife is a splendid woman and he has
in Mrs Frank Kemp, of Omaha, a lovely
daughter, but he had d liason with public
woman, and this was one of the causes
leading to the attempt at Bergman's sui
clce. His manner of shutting off shows
his grim determination. Once when the
superors threatened to force the records
from him, he fixed trap guns about the of
fee so that one touching the doors
or windows would be blown to
pieces. He fired bullets everywhere
this morning and several persons
running to the scene were just missed.
81 wanted to end my troubles was all he
would say even to his closest friends who
questioned him as to the cause of his de-
sire to kill himself.
Since the proceedings for the probate
records were instituted he has been a con-
servative prisoner of the sheriff. The lat
ter was approached Monday last by fire
man in mill, who said he had dreamed
that Bergmnn emptied a revolver at
crowd of men in court and turned the
weapon on himself. The sheriff was much
impressed by the dreamer's earnestness
and did look more closely after his prisoner.
About l o'clock Thanksgiving morning.
Bergman called on a woman, and remained
a short time. On leaving, he showed her
his revolver, and he remarked that he
guessed the weapon would be his Thanks
giving. The doctors say that he will most
likely recover. The town wouldn't be
more surprised if Jay Goold had traded the
Union Pacific for jack knife, and there is
talk of nothing else.