The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-08-15
SUICIDE.
Bowen Stevens Of Clay District Cuts
His Throat With a Razor.
The Coroner's Jury Renders Verdict
Accordingly.

| oJeFcnS well kuOWu CltlItu Vi clay
district, this county, living near
Blacksville, committed suicide by
cutting his throat with razor. Mr.
Stevens was farmer of considerable
means and his rash act was matter
of much surprise to his friends and
neighbors.
On Tuesday the 4th inst, he gave
directions to his men as to the work
for the afternoon but did not accom-
pany them. He spent part of the
afternoon near the house but was
missed towards evening, his family
thinking he had gone to the fields. AT
supper time when Mr.. Stevens failed
to appear a search was instituted
and he was found by his wife lying
in the barn stone dead with his
throat cut.
The alarm was given and Squire
". .. AcHnaH1 ou hhoHco " Juiy anu
held an inquest, a verdict being
rendered in accordance with the
statement above. The first witness
examined was Dr. L. Strosnider He
said:
Thompson Strosnider is my name ;
residence Blacksville; am 81 years
of age. / have known Bowen Stew
ems since he was a boy. My profess
sion is that of a physician. l saw
Bowen Stevens this evening after he
committed suicide and found a cash
about five inches long on the right
side of his neck. Upon examination
l found the carotid artery partially
severed and also the trachea par
TALLY severed. A razor was lying
on the left side near the left hand !;
also found razor case in his inside
vest pocket. He was lying about
the centre of his own stable on his
left side. From the surroundings it
is my opinion he committed suicide
in fit of insanity"
Dr. Ira Hall was the next witness.
After being duly sworn he said:
IRA E. Hall is my name; am a
physician by profession; reside in
Blacksyille; my age is 81 years. l
was acquainted with Bowen Stevens !;
found him lying in his own stable at
his residence with a cash on the
right side of his neck about six
inches long, severing the jugular
vein, the carotid artery, and other
tissues of the neck, no doubt made
by razor. A razor was found near
his right hand. In my opinion it
was an act of self destruction A case
that previously contained a razor
was found in his inside pocket"
j. p. Burke was the next witness.
After being sworn Mr.. Burke said :;
81 p. Burke is my name, my age is
20 years, occupation an agent; resi-
dence Blacksmith. was acquainted
with Bowen Stevens. | was sitting
in the door at my fathers house and
seeing johnson Wright running to-
wards me l knew there was some
thing wrong, and ran down to Bow
en- Stevens stable. l passed j. G..
Howard and L. f. Hoskinson. l
found Bowen Stevens lying in the
fourth stall; his daughter Joanna
was kneeling at his feet He was
lying diagonally across the stall
with his head next to the manger.
There was a cash in his throat on
the right side and razor lying open
under his hand which was near his
throat partly closed l believe he
did it himself"
E. Hoskinson was the next wit
ness: my name is ELAN Hoskin-
son; age 81 years, residence Blacks
Vile, occupation, farmer. l was in
A. j. Strosnider's store on Tuesday
evening, August 4th when Johnson
Wright came in and said that Bowen
Stevens was dead. l went down to
the stable with Mr.. South and A. j.
Strosnider suppose it was about
6 o'clock P. NJ, and saw Bowen Stew
ems lying dead in his stable in the
fourth stall from the entrance. He
was lying On his left side with legs
slightly crossed. There was large
cut in the right side of his neck evil
IDENTIFY done with razor by his own
hand. The razor was lying under
his left hand"
j. c. Howard was next sworn. He
testified in substance as follows:
my name is J. G. Howard; an
81 years of age, occupation, black
smith. residence Rlacksville. I was
acquainted with Bowen Stevens.
was sitting at the supper table and
heard johnson Wright hollow thai
Bowen Stevens was killed. 1t was
near 6 o'clock P. NJ. ran down tC
Stevens place and in the yard I me,
Mrs. Stevens coming from the stable
to the house and she exclaimed
Jesus have mercy on u.s. Twas very
much excited and must have run il
and out again Joanna Stevens was
kneeling near her fathers body. The
body was lying in the fourth stall
from the main entrance with gasf
in the right side of the neck; a razor
was lying in front of him; his lief
hand was drawn toward his side ant
had blood ON it. His hat was lying
in the corner of the stall"
| johnson Wright after being sworn
testified: "a. j. Wright is my name
age "a years. residence Blacksville
/ have been working for Bowen Stew
ems as farm hand for about twelve
years. / saw Bowen Stevens aliv'
to-day at noon. He was standing OF
the back porch at his own home.
went back over the hill to salt some
sheep at his request l returned be
tween 2 and 3 o'clock. Sometim,
later | went after Dr.. Fletcher ant
DR.. Hall as Mrs. Stevens said Mr.
Stevens had killed himself. ther
saw Bowen Stevens lying in thu
stable with q razor under one Of hi
hands. He was lying in the fourth
stall of his own stable. / think i
was about 6 o'clock in the evening
when l went to tho stable with th,
two Doctors"
After receiving the evidence a
given above the following verdic
was rendered by the jury:
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
MoNoNGALIA COUNTY, TO WITTY
An inquisition taken az Blacks
vile in the county of Monongali'
on the 4th day of August, 1891, be