The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-06
DIED BY HIS OWN HAND.
FIREMAN JAMES BURNS PUTS a
BULLET IN HIS BRAIN.

Crazed with Pain from q Cancer and
Dependent of Living, He Seeks Re
lief in Death-Six Hours of Terrible
Suffering After the Fatal 6hot-The
Suicide Premeditated - The Pistol
Fired in the Air to Make Sure of Its
Working, Then Does Its Work.
James Burns, q member OF the Savannah
fire department, shot and fatally wounded
himself yesterday morning about 9 O'Clock.
Death ensued at o'clock in the afternoon,
at st. Josephis infirmary, after six hours of
great agony.
Burns used Smith & Wesson 3S-caliber
revolver and inflicted wound in the right
side of his throat. about three inches below
the car.
The fatal shot was fired on Bay street, at
the foot Of Houston street. The police am
bulance was summoned and Burns was taken
TO the barracks, where DIR. Drummer, after an
examination, pronounced the wound fatal,
and ordered the mans removal to st.
Joseph's infirmary. The bullet ranged ur-
ward and lodged in the brain The physi-
clans did not extract it. as the unfortunate
man was suffering great pain, and the
removal Of the ball would have availed
nothing. 1t was seen at the first glance
that recovery was impossible
CRAXKD BY A CANCER
Burns had been suffering for several
months from a cancer on his tongue. A
number Of physicians treated him tor the
disease, but be grew steadily worse, and the
last three days suffered intense agony, and
was unable TO eat any solid food. Friday
night be could get no rest, and walked the
floor at t1remen's headquarters all night.
bemoaning his fate. All Of Saturday he
was dependent and acted strangely, and
was hardly able to attend 20 his duties, and
il is said he remarked to several persons
that if he did not get relief very soon he
would find a way TO rid himself Of his suf-
fering and trouble. He was at his post
Saturday night, and yesterday morning
appeared TO be a little more cheerful. At
$50 o'clock he left headquarters saying he
was going TO his breakfast, and that was
the last the firemen saw of Burns until he
was taken to the police barracks with the
wound IN his throat He made no allusicn
before leaving the engine house of his
deadly purpose, and appeared to be in better |
spirits than he had been for some days.
SAW THE FATAL SHOT FIRED.
James Mcbride, who lives at the corner
Of Bay and Houston streets, was an eye
witness of the shooting. He and his wife |
had just sat down 10 breakfast when |
Mr. hcBrides attention was attracted by |
the report of a pistol. He jumped from |
the table and ran into the street TO see what |
the excitement was Burns was standing |
on the green on the opposite side of Bay |
street, leaning against a tree In his right |
hand he held revolver, which he seemed |
TO be examining. Suddenly he turned |
the pistol toward his head and fired. |
He then turned half way around |
and fell on the grass. Mcbride started |
across the street, but realizing that the man |
was wounded, turned back and had tele- |
phone message sent from the Southern Ex- |
press Company's stables to police headquar- |
tiers for the ambulance. Several men, whom |
Mcbride did not know, were sitting on a |
bench within few feet of Burns at the time |
of the shooting. Mcbride said that when he |
saw Burns with pistol in his hand he sup |
posed he was on a spree.
FIRED IN THE AIR FIRST.
Other witnesses say that Burns drew the |
pistol from his pocket, and after carefully |
examining it, fired one shot in the air, APP |
parently to see if the pistol was i'll working |
order, and almost Immediately turned it |
upon himself, and fired the second shot with |
the above results. |
MORNING NEWS reporter saw Burns |
at the intirmary, where he lay In great |
agony. His entire left side was paralyzed, |
and blood was oozing from the ragged |
wound in his throat.
1t Is said that Burns met a couple of |
Iongshoremen a few minutes before the |
shooting, and remarked to them: "Boys, |
l guess you will have long walk to my |
funeral Tomorrow The men thought |
that he was joking, as he was a man of
cheerful nature, but when, shortly after,
they heard of the shooting, the import of
his words dawned upon them.
BRAVE FIREMAN.
Burns was a native of Savannah, and was
20 years Of age. He was 'longshoreman
until last February, when he was appointed
TO the fire department. Sept ! he resigned
from the depar ment for the purpose Of en-
gaging in his old business, but, after a few
weeks work, had TO quit on account of his
disease. He was reappointed a fireman
Oct l, and was located at Headquarters
His brother firemen speak in high terms of
him. Foreman Connolly of No. g. said that
no better or drawer man ever answered an
alarm, and he felt sure that had Burns been
IN proper state of mind he never would
have shot himself Mr.. Connolly is salts
fed that Burns was laboring under temper
airy insanity from his sufferings, which
were OF the most intense character
Burns funeral will take place from the
house Of his cousin. T. j. Smith, at Henry
and Burroughs streets, at o'clock this
afternoon. The fire department will be
represented by Chief Puder and Assistant
Chief Mouro, and Foreman Toshach of the
aerial truck, Firemen Wilman aud Ire
bony of the chemical engine, and Engineer
Green of Engine Company No. 8. The in
terment will be in the Cathedral cemetery.
The Workingmen's Benevolent Association
will attend the funeral.
The pistol used by Burns Is said to have
been borrowed from man named Debross