The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-03
Frede~ick A. Litter, Helena Brick
layer, Loses His Life in
Anaconda.
With Suicidal Intent He Places
His Head on a Railroad
Track.
A Meaningless Letter Written Shortly He.
fore His Death His ysmiiyin IN
Helena.

ANACONDA, Jan. 2.-lSpecial. Fired A.
Litter, aged ~ years, bricklayer by trade,
committed suicide yesterday by throwing
himself under the wheels OF q Montana
Union caboose. Litter has wife and two
children in Helena. He went up to an en-
gine and caboose that we're about to pull
out and asked il he could get ride to
Helena, or ms near there as the engine was
going. He proffered n brakeman bottle
half filled with whisky, but his request was
not granted. Litter climbed down from
the engine when it started up. The train
WAS moving at the rate Of about two and
one-haIf miles an hour when Litter sud-
denly threw off his coat and, dropping TO
the ground. placed his head under the
wheels OF the caboose. He was instantly
killed. The coroner's inquest elected
few additional facts. Three bricklayers
testified that Litter was not in the habit Of
getting drunk: he had worked with them
on the new stacks and smeiters; they con-
sidercd him a skilled workman and an in
dustrious man. but on account OF some
trouble he had not been working re-
Gently. On Litter's person was
found the following communication, ad-
dressed to the coKoner. Evidently he was
drunk or demented when he wrote it, fos
it was very difficult to decipher and some
words are totally illegible. 1t is written on
sheet torn from some day book. Litter
evidently wrote it in saloon few hours
before he killed himself. 1t reads:
~ want this published by the coroner in
every paper in the United States, and call
ing it lost cause. As far az grammar is
4 .a1r
mistake, for want to be just as every one
deserves, but mind am starving. have
one of the best friends in the world in
James Sheridan that defy any one to say
word against-a true friend. Now, Wal
ter Drummond, the foreman, that could not
raise "a for friend when he was in need.
OF course, don't blame him when ne went
against the Bengal tiger and got broke, but
he did not go home broke when he left
Butte City. Now, / want to tell you
here follows several iIleRible wordsl. A
great big fellow Charles Forest, from the
stacks, that ! asked for drink one
night when wanted it. but he
said he could not stand him off. How is
that, for b. l.. S. to tell friend that has
given him fried oysters? But here is
wordsl. This man goes to Mcguire and
tells him l was no good. not to give me IF.
L. any money, for l was no good. He
gives me Job and will give me money to
go home on, but Billy told him l was no
good. so l was lost. Got beer at Riley's.
A Happy New Year to Walter Drummond,
the poor fellow that / will haunt till we
meet again. and the beautiful Charley
Forest. BY the way, am kind of full but
still trying. Now, here is to the burial and
the coroners nien-that ] like the two
whiskys. +. l.. is too gone to spell.
FRED LITTER"
To the coroner: "This must be in all the
papers or will haunt YOU"
The jury returned verdict of premedi-
tated suicide. Word WAS sent to the Brick
layers Union at Helena, and that union
telegraphed to bury the body here, which
was done to-day.