St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-12
A SINGULAR SUICIDE.
George B. Coffin, Of Minneap-
oils, Asphyxiates Himself
in a Hotel,
Leaving Behind Him a Touch
ing Appeal to His Wife for
Pardon.
No Reason for the Deed
Known in Either Of the
Two Cities.
A Letter That May Result in
A Letter That May Result in
Some Interesting Devel-
opments.

About l o'clock yesterday afternoon
stranger walked into the Interna-
tional hotel, and, after registering as E.
c. Collins, of Milwaukee, asked for a
room. He was assigned to double
apartment on the third floor, to which
he at once retired. About 5 O'Clock a
chambermaid reported at the office that
there was gas escaping in one of the
rooms on the third floor. The clerk and
a few others rushed up stairs, and very
soon located the room from whence the
gaseous fumes were issuing. The door
was opened and volume of coal gas
was encountered so dense as to be
almost overpowering. The windows in
this section of the house were thrown
open. the gas turned off and after few
moments the air was sufficiently purl-
fed to permit of ingress. A horrible
sight met the view of the OnlookerS.
Lying PROSTATE on bed III the small
interior room was the body OF the man
who had registered but few hours
previous, now cold in death. His face
bore a Mortified expression, plainly
showing the dread and agony of the
the terrible act was premeditated and
cody planned was evidenced by all the
surrounding facts. 1t was probably his
intention to have taken another mode
of uShering himself into eternity, for a
loaded SlX-ShOOter was found in his
trousers pocket. But he evidently weak
ened when the time came to do the
deed, so he decided to glide peacefully
into the realms of shade by the less
haSty, but more pleasant, gas route.
Having made up his mind, he tore Off a
portion of the placard on the back of
the door containing the regulations APP
plicable to the hotel, and, sitting down
by the table, hastily Scrawled off the
following pathetic message to his wife
with a lead pencil:
my wife and our dear father and mother this
terrible, terrible blow; but the last hope,
prayer and wish of my life is that You or
they may never know the agony oil my pres
ent moments Forget, forget, forget, You
cannot forgive, Oh, Emma. my wife, my
Wife, You will lind letter in right hand
drawer of my desk"
The letter written, he then began to
complete the final arrangements. The
bed room. little more than large
enough to contain a bed, aud devoid OF
any window, probably suggested the
idea OF dying by SutfOeatiOn, for once
within there aud the door closed TO the
outer room, he was as completely con-
iined as If nailed up in a box. So he
passed into the bedroom, sat down on
the bed aud removed his coat, shoes,
collar and necklie. There was a gas
fixture Just above the head of the bed,
and he wrenched of one of the sections
of this SO that the gas could flow in an
unimpeded volume. The tranSOm was
held up by short piece of stick which
he removed. Everything was now
ready and it only remained to turn OF
the death-laden gas. As he passed over
to the bed it evidently flashed upon MIN
that he had forgotten to leave any
traces as to his identity. This clue he
furnished by writing on the fiat surface
of the pine stick the following:
ITO each of my friends: Wire E. C. Coffin,
S31 Hennepin avenue, Minneapolis. ."
This was his last alden to the world,
and it was but the work of a moment tC
turn on the gas and throw himself on
the bed.
In less than five minutes he was 6
dead man.
The stranger was a tall man, with
heavy blonde mustache, and haggard
! care-wOrn expression. He was dressed
| in brown pantaloonS, dark vest and
white shirt. Coroner Quinn ordered
the remains removed to the undertake
ing rooms of Mccarthy & Donnelly,
where an inquest will be held to-day.