The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-15
DIED BY HIS OWN HAND.
JOHN a HONG SENDS A BULLET
INTO HIS BRAIN.

Victim to the Fatal Deed-A Deter
mined Suicide-He Conceals Re-
volver. and Slips Away from His
Friends Who Are Watching Him
10 His Room and Kills Himself
John A. HONG, q German grocer. com
mitted suicide yesterday afternoon at 5:21
o'clock by shooting himself through the
head, in his bedroom, over his place of
business, at the corner Of Price street and
South Broad street lane.
HONG lived in an unconscious condition
for about twonty minutes after the fatal
shot, and died without a struggle. The
weapon used To do the deadly work was an
improved Smith s. Wesson 3S-caliber re-
volver.
The bullet entered Immediately behind
the right ear. and passed upward into the
brain, making a hole over an inch in
diameter. From the appearance of the
wound Honig must have placed the muzZle
OF the pistol directly against his head wnen
he fired. the fatal shot, as the skin was burned
and blackened with powder. He bled pro-
fusely, and a large pool formed on the
carpet under his head. His clothes were
saturated, and the bed, on which he first fell
was soaked with bis blood.
INSANE FROM DRINK.
Honig has been laboring under insanity
for about a week, brought on, it IS said, by
drinking. One day last week he went gun
ming for a friend and would proba by; have
shot him had he been successful in his
search Yesterday morning, after having
breakfast, he went downstairs to his store
and tried to get pistol to pr tect himself
against two constables whom he imagined
were going to arrest him All weapons
were put out Of his reach, but he continued
the search, and refused to eat any dinner.
His sister, Mrs. J. H. Doscher, went TO the
store ana tried to quiet him, but was ansuc-
cesSful.
KEPT THE PISTOL HID.
Who're HONG secured the pistol is a mys-
terry, aud he was canning enough TO keep it
out Of sight Mrs. Doscher had been with
him in bis room up TO ten minutes before
the shooting, and wanted to send for doc
tor, but Honig told her that he was all
right, and when she went downstairs he
appeared to be in an easier frame Of mind
than at any time during the day. After
being downstairs about ten minutes Mrs.
Doscher was startled by the report of
pistol, and, feeling that her brother had shot
himself, she gave piercing scream.
Charles n. Maury, a clerk In Honig's
store, was the first to reach the room after
the shooting. He found honig in kneel-
ing position, with his head resting on the
bed and a stream of blood squirting from
the wound behind his ear.
THE FATAL WEAPON IN HIS HAND.
In his right hand he graspsd the revolver
which had sent the deadly messenger on its
destination.
Maury was so frightened at the sight
which met his gaia that he was unable to
do anything but stand up and look at the
dying man.
~ d.
Hull streets. on his way TO the barracks,
heard Mrs. Doscher's scream, and ran to
Honlgs store 20 ascertain the cause. He
was met by Mrs Doscher, who told him
that her brother had shot himself upstairs in
his bedroom. Cronin ran up to Honig's
room, and found the unfortunate man in a
hslf.sitting posture on the floor, his head
leaning on the slde Of the bed. HONG was
breathing heavily, but could not speak
The pistol Yves lying on the floor. as it had
fallen from his hand, and blood was pour
ing from gaping wound.
DIED IN A FEW MINUTES.
Officer Cronin called for some one to 90
for doctor, aud, at the same time, took a
pillow from the bed, aud, picking Honig
up, looSened his collar aud laid him full
length upon the floor, with his head resting
on the pillow. No doctor could be secured,
and he breathed for about twenty minutes,
and expired, without suffering any ap-
parent pain.
Officer Cronin took the pistol to the police
barracks, where it was afterward turned
over to Coroner Dixon.
w hen MORNING NEWS reporter reached
Honig's house the streets ia the neighbor-
hood were crowded with excited people.
In the back room upstairs lay HONG,
stretched full length on the floor, covered
With blood and presenting CHASTITY sight.
IN THE DEATH CHAMBER.
His head was turned slightly to one side
exposing to full view the wound which had
caused his death. By his side was a coal
oil lamp, its Pickering light shining on the
countenance of the dead man. Men were
grouped around the room. talking as if they
feared TO wake the dead from his last sleep,
and mysterious gloom seemed to pervade
the atmosphere of the room. Many
turned away with shudder after gazing
Tor an instant at the sickeaing sight. The
features of HONG, however, were peaceful,
and but for the pool of blood under his
head and the stains on his face one would
imagine he had died a natural death.
THE SUICIDE.
HONG was a native of Savannah, "a
years old and unmarried. Tho only relative
he had in Savannah was his sister, Mrs.
Doscher. He was popular in Savannah
and his generous and genial disposition made
him friends wherever he went. He was a
handsome man, with regular features, light
hair and moustache and piercing blue eyes
He was about feet inches in hight and
weighed in the neighborhood of 100 pounds.
Coroner Dixon, after hearing all the
facts of the case, decided that an inquest
was unnecessary, and Undertaken Goette
prepared the body and removed it to the
residence of Mrs. Doscher, at No. SO Harris
street, from where the funeral will take
place tomorrow afternoon.
HONG was a member of the German
Friendly Society, Nacoochee Tribe of Red
Men and the German Volunteers, which
organizations will attend his funeral in a
body.