The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-22
BLEW HIS HEAD OFF.
NANDos l. vERDERY SUICIDES IN
A FIT OF INSANITY.

A FIT OF INSANITY.
Crazed by the Death OF Bis Child BE
Blows Out His Brains With a Gun
The Weapon Fired by His Foot
The Suicide Lives Forty Minutes
Practically without a Head.
Msndos L. verdery suicided yesterday
morning by shooting away the left side Of
his head with q shotgun in the basement
room of his home, No. 81 Liberty street.
He shot himself at 9:45 o'clock and lived
forty minutes.
Insanity was the cause of the terrible
deed. Verdery was a man of rather &C.
centric character. He was well known
about town on account of wearing his hair
in long ringlets about his shoulders.
Last December one of Verdery's children,
bright little boy Of years died, of diph-
liberia. The lad was his fathers pet, and
Verdery was grief stricken over his death.
Nothing would console him, and be con-
stantly bemoaned his bereavement. He
took up the life Of a recluse, and could not
be persuaded to leave the house. He walked
the hallway almost constantly and appar-
entity in deep thought. II any one talked
TO him be invariably turned the converse
tion to the death Of his little boy. At night
he was restless and couldn't sleep.
PHYSICIANS WARNED HIM
Physicians were called in to prescribe for
him. They warned him that If he didn't
give up his mode of life, go out on the
streets and try to shake off the constant
thought of his dead child, he would lose his
mind
Verdery paid no attention to the warm
tngs and refused to go out, although his
family held out all sorts of Inducements to
him. Gradually his mind began to fail
and he talked continually and incohersntly
of his dead child. his family became
alarmed and kept close watch on him.
A Authorization took possession of
Verdery that he was responsible for the
little boys death because he failed to give
him a certain dose of medicine. His people
tried to talk him out of the idea, but TO no
effect Wednesday night he was very rest
less, aad he appeared to be quite excited at
the breakfast table yesterday morning. His
uncle, Mr.. A. Barrie. tried TO quiet him, and
succeeded in a measure. Verdery arose
from the table, and walked out into the
hallway to take up his walk. He walked
up and down a few times, and suddenly
took a notion to go downstairs.
AN ARMoRY IN THE BASEMENT.
In the basement Verdery had a room
fitted up as an armory. All sorts Of guns,
rifles, pistols, deadly weapons and sports
mems articles were ranged around in an at
tracttve manner He met the cook In the
basement and told her to go upstairs to
Mrs. Nerdery, and in case the sheriff called
to show him upstairs He seemed TO be
laboring under the idea that the sheriff was
about TO arrest him for the death OF his
child.
The cook had been upstairs but a few
Qtrb fha ~ hoor
Everybody rushed to the basement, dreading
what was to come. A oolored manservant
named Brooks was the first to reach the
place. He found the door of the armory
room locked from the inside Brooks Sc
cured an ak and prled the lock Off.
A BLOODY SIGHT.
As the door few open sickening sight
met the gaze. Verdery was lying on his
back In pool Of blood about four feet In
diameter. Only one eye and a part of the
head remained. The ceiling and walls were
spattered with blood, and the unfor-
tunate mans brains were scattered
about in every direction. Life was
still in the body. and a messenger was
hurriedly sent for DR.. wens, who reached
the house in few minutes. The physician,
however. could do nothing but administer
porions to relieve Verdery's sufferings.
Rev. w. A. Mccarthy OF the Cathedral was
also sent for and arrived shortly after DIR.
Owens. The clergyman anointed the
dying man and gave him what rites of the
Catholic church he could under the circum-
stances.
FIRED THE GUN WITH HIS FOOT.
From the nature Of Verdery's wound he
must have placed the gun at an angle.
pointing to his head and discharged the
piece with his foot. The shot went clean
through his head and scattered itself in a
large space in the corner OF the ceiling. The
load entered just below the left eye aud cut
wide pain across his head.
Nerdery must have wheeled around after
receiving his wound, as he was found facing
the place in the ceiling where the shot
lodged.
Coroner Dixon was notified aud reached
the house before Verdery died. After his
death the coroner, who is also the family
undertaken, filled in the cavity in the dead
mans head with cotton and baudaged up
bis face as far as the middle Of the nose
The suicide was a terrible shock TO Yer
nery's wife and family. Mr.. Barrie the dead
mans uncle, with whom he has lived since
childhood, Is almost prcstrated with grief
over the sad ending OF the life of his nephew.
HIT THE LOTTERY ONCE.
Verdery struck the Louisiana lottery
several years ago for $500, having had a
half interest with John Haywood in the
ticket which drew the capital prize. He
was man of considerable means, and never
did much work. He was a native of Savan-
nah and 80 years old. He married Miss
Cantwell, daughter OF the late William
Cantwell, who was chief mailing clerk In
the postoftice for many years. His mother,
wife and two children, girls, aged and 2
years, survive him. His funeral will take
place this afternoon at o'clock. The in-
terment will DE in Cathedral cemetery.
Verderys father committed suicide by
shooting himself through the head on July
|, 1874. in a house on Liberty street, opposite
the De Soto. 1t is rather a strange CO.
incidence that II years after the son should
kill himself in almost the same manner
and on the same street, within three blocks
Of that place.
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